Farmers keep quiet over American Crystal lockout

Posted at 10:19 AM on August 17, 2011 by Michael Olson
Filed under: Around MN

The American Crystal Sugar lockout continues. And there doesn't seem to be any movement by the company or the union.

Local and statewide political leaders are working to get the two parties to the table to negotiate. No new talks are scheduled at this time.

One group that could have influence: farmer co-owners. But by and large they are sitting quietly on the sidelines. Ag Week reports: "Rhetoric on the issue has been flowing into newspaper opinion pages and other venues, but with relatively few on-the-record comments from farmer-owners."

Also on MN Today

New biofuels initiative will support homegrown energy, says Klobuchar

Sen. Amy Klobuchar is touting an initiative that would make Minnesota an important supplier for jet fuel for the U.S. military.

The partnership between the GEVO biofuels plant in Luverne and the military is part of a larger push by the senator to encourage the military to use more homegrown biofuel.

Sterns Co. opts for voluntary no-wake zones
Stearns County will post signs asking boaters voluntarily to slow down and not create wakes on area lakes where high water is causing flooding and erosion problems.

Folks with lake homes and cabins in the area had previous posted homemade signs asking boaters to slow down and not produce a wake without much success.

The move by the County will create more official looking signs, but won't have any teeth in terms of enforcement. A county sheriff said it would be hard to enforce a no-wake zone.

The St Cloud Times reports the hearing entertaining the ordinance was heated between lake shore owners and some in the area tourist industry.

The paper previously reported that wakes were coming from water skiers and tubers as well as fishing boats.

Blazing hay bales
Also in Sterns Co. -- Sheriffs deputies responded to early morning calls Tuesday about round hay bales blocking off roadways. According to WJON the deputies removed the bales, but received a call two hours later that the bales were back on the road and set ablaze.

Anyone with information about the incidents is being asked to call Crime Stoppers.