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Dille wonders 'Can't we just all get along?' Tuesday, February 8, 2005
Agri News staff writer
ST. PAUL -- Sen. Steve Dille wants peace, harmony, love and acceptance to replace the criticism and condescending remarks fired back and forth in the feedlot war.
The Dassel Republican wrote a 13-point letter last week outlining a new era for Minnesota's livestock farmers.
He read the letter, which was signed by all members of the Senate agriculture committee, at the end of a Feb. 3 hearing where testimony was taken on the Governor's Livestock Advisory Task Force Report and the Citizens Task Force Report.
"I was trying to think what was holding up livestock (expansion) in this state," Dille said, and he came up with urban sprawl and conflict.
He figured that since Democrats and Republicans are trying to make peace in the Senate this year and are doing a fairly good job, the warriors on both sides of the feedlot war may also be able to come to a truce.
Dille wrote the letter, and ran it by a couple other senators. He fine-tuned it and then asked his colleagues on the agriculture committee to sign it. They agreed.
The letter bears the signatures of both Senate Minority Leader Dick Day and Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson, among others.
The room was silent when Dille read the letter. He also apologized to the Land Stewardship Project for being critical of them in the past.
Paul Sobocinksi, a Wabasso farmer and LSP staff member, welcomed the letter and called it a first step in mending frayed relations. But trust, he said, must be built over time.
Lisa Heggedahl, an Angus producer from Hayfield, testified on behalf of the governor's report and called the letter a peace offering.
"Sen. Dille has extended a peace offering to those such as Land Stewardship Project whose viewpoint differs from his," Heggedahl said. "He has asked for peace and harmony in order to work together for the betterment of Minnesota's livestock producers rather than the expenditure of time and energy to oppose one another. It remains to be seen whether the Land Stewardship Project and others will reach out and accept the olive branch or reach out and rap Sen. Dille over the head with it."
Dille said there's room for all types of livestock production in Minnesota.
Ideally, LSP will help people who want to farm using grass-based production methods rather than tear down those who choose to raise livestock in confinement.
Likewise, he hopes the "other side" will quit making condescending remarks about LSP.
"You'd think at some point in the future, the feedlot war will end," Dille said. "É Why not this year?É"
"If this works, I might even ask them to mention it in my obituary."
The letter has been distributed in the Senate and a resolution will be drafted for passage in both the House and Senate.
Dille is also going to introduce a bill addressing urban sprawl. |
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