South Dakota and Minnesota and Farm Bureaus pleased
 with national support for DM&E Improvement/Expansion Proposal

 The South Dakota Farm Bureau Federation (SDFB) and the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) are pleased with the national policy set on Tuesday by the voting delegates at the 88^th American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Annual Meeting supporting the proposed improvements and expansion to the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern (DM&E) rail line.

The DM&E line upgrade project will rebuild 600 miles of DM&E track, which runs through South Dakota and Minnesota, and adds 260 new miles of main line construction to clean, low-sulfur coal mines in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming. 

“We are very pleased that the American Farm Bureau delegates chose to express support for the DM&E project. It highlights the national significance of the project in regard to domestic energy issues, as well as increased competition in the rail industry as DM&E becomes a Class I railroad,” said SDFB President Scott VanderWal. “It will have a great impact on two of the most important current issues for our country; food and energy security and development.”

  “Our grassroots policy clearly states that we support the proposed DM&E rail line improvements and expansion on the existing corridor, and we are happy that our policy is now supported on a national level,” said MFBF President Kevin Paap. “An accessible, up-to-date, efficient infrastructure is vital to agriculture not just through Minnesota but also throughout the Midwest. The proposed improvements to the DM&E line will ensure that farmers and ranchers can continue to move their goods to markets and have access to needed inputs.”

 The AFBF Annual Meeting involved deliberations by 366 voting delegates representing every state and Puerto Rico and every commodity. The policy approved at the annual meeting will guide AFBF’s legislative and regulatory efforts throughout 2007.

 Farm Bureau is the largest general farm organization in Minnesota, South Dakota and in the nation. Members determine policy through a formal, democratic process and make their views heard to political leaders, state government officials, special interest groups and the general public.

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