Minnesota farmers want trade over aid, but they’d take some aid in the meantime

One person described it as a bridge. Another person saw it as a Band-Aid.

Whatever the metaphor, they agreed that Minnesota farmers need a bailout package to weather the ongoing U.S.-China trade war.

A “bridge payment” until markets open up would be a welcome, temporary step, said Dan Glessing, a dairy farmer who serves as president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation.

“It would be appreciated, but it’s not a solution,” he said.

At an event with Glessing and other agriculture industry leaders last week in Faribault, Gov. Tim Walz said Band-Aids in the form of bailouts can be useful.

“When you need a Band-Aid, use the Band-Aid,” he said. “If there’s money to be moved right now to help out, let it help get us through this crisis, but it is not a fix in the long term.”

On Tuesday, P