>> Cathy: IN THE NEXT HOUR WE'LL VISIT WITH ST. PAUL MAYOR MELVIN CARTER ABOUT THE CITY'S REPARATIONS COMMISSION, EXAMINE SEVERAL OF LAST WEEK'S US SUPREME COURT DECISIONS, SHELETTA BRUNDIDGE HAS AN ESSAY FOR US, AND WE'LL HIGHLIGHT A NEW STATE LAW OFFERING FREE COLLEGE TUITION TO SOME MINNESOTA STUDENTS.

>> Eric: AND WE START TONIGHT WITH A LOOK AT THE STATE'S WORSENING DROUGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR THURSDAY'S U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR MAP SHOWS THE AMENDMENT OF THE STATE NOW IN DROUGHT AND THE AREAS EXPERIENCING SEVERE DROUGHT ALSO INCREASED.

WE SHOULD NOTE THAT THE RAINFALL ON THE FOURTH OF JULY IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE MOST RECENT DATA BUT THE IMPACT OF THAT MOISTURE LIKELY IS MINOR.

SO HOW IS THIS WIDENING DROUGHT AFFECTING FARMERS ACROSS THE STATE?

AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER THOM PETERSEN JOINS US TO TALK ABOUT IT.

YOU'VE BEEN OUT THIS WEEK IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA, WHAT IS THE IMPACT?

>> YEAH, IT'S ALWAYS TOUGH THIS TIME OF THE YEAR IF WE DON'T GET RAIN AND SO OUR CROPS AND A LOT OF PARTS OF THE STATED HAVE REALLY SUFFERED.

AS YOU SAID 98%.

STATE IS ABNORMALLY DRY, OVER 50% OF THE STATE IS IN A MODERATE DROUGHT AND WHAT THEY WATCH ON OUR SCALE THE SEVERE DROUGHT WE CREEPED UP AND DOUBLED OUR SIZE IN THAT.

REALLY A LOT OF THE FARMS AROUND THE CITIES HERE REALLY DRYING UP.

AND OUR FIRST CONCERN REALLY IS FOR OUR CATTLE FARMERS BECAUSE THAT REALLY RELY ON THE PASTURE, HAY, AND WE START TO SEE THAT DRY UP AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE GREAT SAFETY NET IN THE FARM BILL AS MUCH AS SOME OF OUR CORN AND SOYBEAN FARMERS.

>> Cathy: YOU KNOW, YOU DRIVE AROUND THOUGH AND THE FIELDS DON'T LOOK THAT BAD AT THIS POINT, WHAT'S THE OLD SAW, KNEE HIGH BY THE FOURTH OF JULY BEFORE THE CORN?

IT DOESN'T LOOK BAD BUT IS RIGHT NOW A CRUCIAL TIME?

>> IT REALLY IS, RIGHT NOW IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CROP REALLY AS IT MATURES AND WE SAY IT LOOKS GREAT FROM THE ROADS BUT AS YOU GET IN THERE AND I WALKED THE FIELDS YESTERDAY AND HOW THE CROP IS DEVELOPING AND IT'S A CONCERN FOR A LOT OF THE STATE.

WE'RES ALSO IN A SPOT WHERE IF WE GOT SOME NICE RAINS RIGHT NOW THE CROPS WOULD WORK.

REALLY IT'S BEEN POPCORNING AROUND THE STATE SO WE HAVE SOME PLACES THAT LOOK GOOD BUT IT'S A CONCERN.

>> Eric: WHEN MILK PRICES ARE BELOW COST OF PRODUCTION ARE THERE SUBSIDIES FOR FARMERS?

>> YEAH, THANKS TO COLLIN PETERSON WE DO HAVE A SAFETY NET THAT'S GOING TO KICK IN.

IT'S NOT ENOUGH.

DAIRY PRICES ARE AT ABOUT A FIVE-YEAR LOW AT LEAST MAYBE EVEN GOING BACK MANY YEARS.

BUT SINCE THEY WROTE THE FARM BILL, PAYMENT WAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT WOULD BE COMING FROM THAT AND THAT WILL HELP AND THE COST GETS FROM THE FEED TO THE PRICE, IT KICKS N AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE SEE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE FELL UNDER 2,000 DAIRY FARMS IN THE STATE FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR AND I TAKE THAT PERSONALLY AND WE TRY TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT WE DO, NOT UNIQUE TO MINNESOTA BUT JUST KIND OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.

>> Cathy: GOING BACK TO THE DROUGHT FOR JUST A MOMENT I KNOW THERE WILL PROBABLY BE RELIEF THAT WILL BE NEEDED, RIGHT?

DEPENDING UPON THE WEATHER OF COURSE BUT THERE'S STILL LAST YEAR'S DROUGHT TO CONTEND WITH , SO WHERE'S THAT MONEY?

>> YEAH, AND WE REALLY LOOK AT NOT JUST LAST YEAR BUT TWO YEARS AGO, 2021 WE HAD A VERY BAD DROUGHT AND IT TOOK US AWHILE FOR THE LEGISLATURE REMEMBER IN 2022 THE AG BILL IS ONE OF THE FEW BILLS THAT PASSED IN A NONBUDGET YEAR SO FARMERS THAT'S THE WAY A LOT OF TIMES IT GETS, THAT'S ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE FARM BILL WITH DROUGHT RELIEF, FARMERS ARE ALWAYS GETTING PAID A YEAR LATER SOMETIMES FOR THAT.

WE'RE HOPEFUL, WE HAVE LOANS, NOT THAT FARMERS NEED ANOTHER LOAN, WE HAVE ZERO INTEREST LOANS, SOMETIMES FARMERS CAN ACCESS THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> Eric: MINNESOTA HAS A VERY GOOD REPRESENTATION ON THE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEES IN CONGRESS.

DOES THAT HELP US AS YOU TRY TO HAVE INPUT INTO THE FEDERAL FARM BILL?

>> ABSOLUTELY, WE'RE ONE OF HE FEW STATES THAT HAS BOTH SENATOR KLOBUCHAR WHO'S THE SECOND RANKING MEMBER ON THE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE AND SENATOR SMITH AND IF YOU GO INTO THE HOUSE HAVING BRAD FINSTAD WHO I THINK HAS DONE A GREAT JOB GETTING INTO THE FARM BILL DISCUSSIONS AND THEN NGIE CRAIG IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE VOICES AND SO WE'RE WELL REPRESENTED.

>> Eric: WHAT DO YOU NEED OUT OF THE FEDERAL FARM BILL?

>> ALWAYS SAY IT COMES DOWN TO SAFETY NET.

WHEN YOU HAVE DROUGHT AND THINGS LIKE BAD PRICES WITH DAIRY LIKE WE'RE SEEING NOW THAT THEY HAVE A SAFETY NET AND THAT'S ALWAYS A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.

>> Cathy: YOU KNOW, PART OF THAT BILL INCLUDES EXPANSION FOR BROADBAND IN URAL AREAS OF THE COUNTRY INCLUDING MINNESOTA, HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT?

>> BROADBAND IS SUPER IMPORTANT AND EXCITING.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE SEE IS MORE AND MORE FARMERS DOING DIRECT MARKETING, AND SO WE HAVE MORE AND MORE FARMERS SETTING UP THEIR OWN WEBSITES, RUNNING BASICALLY A SMALL BUSINESS, AND EOPLE IN THE TWIN CITIES HERE OR WHEREVER PURCHASING PRODUCTS SO HAVING A WEBSITE IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

ALL THE EQUIPMENT THAT RUNS ON FARMS NOW USES BROADBAND.

AND SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE, I LIVE IN PINE COUNTY, I ALWAYS MAKE A PITCH BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THE TOUGHEST COUNTIES FOR BROADBAND AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK BUT INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO AGRICULTURE.

>> Eric: WHAT DO THEY SAY, I DON'T GAMBLE, I'M A FARMER?

>> EXACTLY, GOT TO BE