Nelson: Local Tours, Changes, and Grant Applications

Friends and neighbors,

Early summer greetings! I hope you survived our multitude of storms without much damage. We had a huge tree succumb to high winds in our backyard. It took a 150 ton crane to pick it up and keep it from smashing into our house. It was quite an ordeal and we are very thankful for no injuries or property damage and the fast efficient service.

Speaking of winds, the whirlwind of the 2024 session has subsided but its effects will linger on. Gov. Walz signed the mega omnibus ‘tax’ bill HF5247 into law despite minority leadership’s call for a veto following its unjust passage in the legislature. The final bill contained everything from paid family leave to transportation network companies (Uber/Lyft), to gun control, to health & human services spending, and was rammed through the Senate sight unseen in the final minutes of session.

I plan to highlight one subject area in each interim newsletter- the good and the bad and of course to include current items of interest. Note, I’ve already heard from two readers who followed up on the Refund for Unclaimed Money and Missing Property and their refunds are on the way!

During this interim, I will spend much of my time in Senate District 24 attending a multitude of events in Dodge and Olmsted Counties. Like you, there are always more want-to-dos than time on my calendar. However, I do hope you contact me if you wish to meet over a cup of coffee or invite me to attend an event important to you or this area. My Senate office remains fully staffed in the interim. Please contact me directly with your thoughts, suggestions, or questions. sen.carla.nelson@senate.mn or 651–296–4848. Please copy Ms.Signe Christensen, my assistant, on scheduling or constituent service emails.

Pastor Klye Bushre at the Capitol

Pastor Kyle Bushre of Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester led the Senate body in prayer on one of the final days of session. It was wonderful to have him and his daughter visit the Senate. (I think that was one of those 24 plus hour plus sessions so extra prayer was certainly in need.)

Working for you,

Carla J. Nelson

Minnesota Senate, District 24

Read on for:

1) Local Tours:

• Golberg Farm and Eocycle Tour
• Rochester International Airport

2) Changes Coming:

• Area Code
• Medicaid

3) Grant Applications:

• Minnesota Department of Ag (MDA) Cover Crop Grants

1. Local Tours

Golberg Farm and Eocycle Tour:

Last week, I visited the beautiful Mark and Karen Golberg Farm near Stewartville. It was a joy to stand on this stunning generational farm and learn of the recent energy innovations with the Eocycle EOX S-16. EOX S-16 represents cutting-edge wind energy technology, and I’m proud our area is home to such innovation! Huge thank you to the Golberg’s for their gracious hospitality and sharing the beauty of their farm and its recent energy innovations with me.

Rochester International Airport

It was also a joy to visit the Rochester International Airport and see the results of one of the bonding projects I authored — the updated CAT ll runway lights. These advanced lights will help ensure safe landing, even in less than optimal weather conditions, a safety measure particularly important for emergency medical flights. I highly encourage driving by to see the update to this wonderful project. You will notice the CAT II lights as you drive south out of Rochester on both sides of Highway 52 just north of Stewartville.

2. Changes Coming

Area Code

The new 924 area code is coming to the MN 507 area code region starting 8/30/2024. Link for more Info

Medicaid

Starting on October 1, 2024, Minnesota is transitioning two of its largest homecare programs for Medicaid enrollees, the Personal Care Assistance (PCA) program and Consumer Support Grant (CSG) benefit, to new programs provided under Community First Services and Supports (CFSS). CFSS was designed to provide Medicaid enrollees with more choice, control, and flexibility with their services and supports. Link for CFSS FAQ’s

3. Grant Application

Minnesota Department of Ag (MDA) Cover Crop Grants

Grant award range: $10,000 to $45,000.

Continuous living cover crops and cropping systems for:

• Agroforestry
• Perennial biomass, perennial forage, perennial grains
• Winter-annual cereal grains and oilseeds that have market value as harvested or grazed commodities, including but not limited to regenerative poultry silvopasture systems, Kernza® perennial grain, winter camelina, and elderberry.

Projects must aim to develop and accelerate:

• Enterprises, supply chains, or markets for CLC crops and cropping systems in the early stage of commercial development in Minnesota.

Applicants must:

• Be an organization in Minnesota (including a company, government, tribe, urban American Indian Community, partnership, and any type of civil or political association of people) authorized to do business in Minnesota.

• Be located in Minnesota.

• Focus on continuous living cover (CLC) crops and cropping systems as defined in the Grant Overview.

•Be in good standing with the State of Minnesota (no back taxes owed, no defaults on Minnesota state-backed financing for the last seven years, acceptable performance on past MDA grants (if applicable) and compliant with current state regulations.)

• Not be an employee or spouse of an employee of the MDA.

Link to APPLICATION Application Deadline: Monday, July 15, 2024 at 4:30 pm CT