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DI UpdateBR&E Programs Lead to Success |
MICHAEL DARGER
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The University of Minnesota's Business Retention & Expansion Strategies (BR&E) program has helped many communities learn how to retain and enhance businesses. A few BR&E programs have focused on the dairy industry. Some outstanding successes resulted in two milksheds, Stearns County and Becker-Otter Tail Counties. What is BR&E? It's a cooperative activity, kind of like the way farmers used to help each other raise barns. A task force visits and surveys 30 to 100 farms. It uses the information it gathers to create an action plan of three or four projects to help these farmers succeed. Does it work? In Stearns (1997) the dairy BR&E connected more than 300 farms to Dairy Diagnostic Teams. Of the farmers involved, 92 percent reported a positive influence on their farm. The Becker-Otter Tail BR&E (1995) found financing to be a bottleneck, so it hosted a conference that attracted about 80 financiers. In only two years more than $3 million worth of dairy facilities were financed. But sometimes it's about more than technical assistance or financing. And sometimes it takes more than a year or two to get it done. For instance, Becker-Otter Tail BR&E is still working to get a 60-day MPCA permitting statute passed to help dairy projects happen faster. There have also been BR&E programs aimed at crops, swine, and sheep producers. Swift County's Corn/Soybean BR&E (1999) found lack of health care access the number one threat. So, for the second year, they're sponsoring a bill to get Minnesota Care to stop counting depreciation as income to farmers for eligibility determination. Interested in learning more? Ed Frederick (507-835-3422) and Lee Gross (320-255-6169) have been involved in dairy BR&E projects. Or call program director Michael Darger (612-625-6246), or visit the BR&E Strategies Program Web site. |
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