News

MDA doing what it can during natural gas curtailment

Minnesota Ag Commissioner Thom Petersen calls the curtailing of natural gas for grain drying “par for the course” as a difficult harvest drags on.

“I mean with the late planting, the rains and snows, and everything else it’s just really frustrating and another punch in the gut for some of these farmers.”

Responding to news that Minnesota Energy Resources will limit natural gas because of cold weather, Petersen tells Brownfield there’s not much his department can do.

“We continue though to talk to the stakeholders. We talked today with the Governor’s Office, the Department of Commerce, (and) with stakeholders both in natural gas and propane, trying to understand the market. And not a surprise, the priorities are on home heating and livestock barns.”

Minnesota Energy says the natural gas curtailment could last till Friday as the Upper Midwest braces for frigid temperatures this week.