Dairymen From Other Countries Mull Relocating to the Dakotas

Associated Press ^ | Apr 6, 2005 | Curt Woodward

[Skylab]

FARM SCENE: Dairymen From Other Countries Mull Relocating to the Dakotas

By Curt Woodward Associated Press Writer Published: Apr 6, 2005

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Evert Hekman was looking for wide-open spaces, less government regulation and more affordable land and equipment when he decided to launch his own dairy. He couldn't find it at home in the Netherlands, so Hekman started looking in the next best place - North Dakota and South Dakota.

"In my country, it's full," Hekman said Tuesday. "Really full."

Supporters of a new law that allows non-U.S. citizens to own North Dakota dairies hope to see more farmers like Hekman, 29, who has been researching a move to the United States for more than a year.

He's likely to find plenty of room in North Dakota, where the dairy industry has been suffering through a 20-year slump.

The state boasted about 100,000 dairy cows in the mid-1980s, but today's herd has dwindled to about 33,000, said Gary Hoffman of Ashley, who is director of the North Dakota Dairy Coalition.

Sen. Tim Flakoll, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, believes the legislation "has some great potential to really prop up an industry that, arguably, has been on the decline for some time now."

The bill loosening restrictions on foreign dairy ownership was overwhelmingly approved in the Senate and House earlier this year, and signed into law by Gov. John Hoeven on March 16. The bill takes effect Aug. 1.

Hekman said he followed the legislation's progress from across the Atlantic on the North Dakota Legislature's Web site.

Current North Dakota law says only Canadians and resident aliens may own an interest in agricultural land. The new bill allows citizens of another country to own a stake in North Dakota agricultural property, if the person lives in the state for 10 months each year and is active in managing the business.

The operation must include a dairy, and cannot be larger than 640 acres. North Dakota's agriculture commissioner must be notified of the purchase within 30 days.

South Dakota has a similar law, and has had success luring international farmers - particularly the Dutch - to the northern Plains, Hoffman said.

"We know there's people from other countries interested in coming to the U.S.," he said. "There's about a dozen Dutch families that have moved to South Dakota already."

Hekman has been touring North Dakota dairies for the past week, chatting with producers and sizing up vacant milking operations. His ideal farm would have 200 cows at first, and grow from there if he can make a profit.

Hekman said he's decided he must start a U.S. venture within two years if he wants to succeed. He hopes to get investment money from his family, which has farmed in the Netherlands for generations.

"I'm now 29," he said. "I know I'm not at an age where I can say, 'I'll wait another 10 years and see what happens.'"

Besides a lack of available farmland, the Netherlands has higher production costs and milk quotas tied to European Union efforts to integrate national agriculture markets, Hekman said.

By moving to the United States, Hekman also will benefit from a struggling U.S. dollar, which makes his euros worth more when shopping for land, cows and equipment.

"For me at the moment, it's quite big," he said of the dollar's decline. "And that's for more Dutch farmers a good issue to think about, starting a dairy."

Opponents of the new law say they're wary of wealthy international investors taking over farmland that North Dakotans might want to purchase.

"North Dakota farmers and producers need to be in charge of their own productions, and not be tenants," said Sen. April Fairfield, who cast the only vote against the measure in the Senate.

[injin]

America should invite displaced white Zimbabwe/Rhodesian
farmers , who have lost their lands to Mugabe thugs , to come and homestead in these places.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

So some doeth protest? Great, give the legal immigrants hell, and keep them cheap labor illegals flowing north.

[nonkultur]

All your farmers are belong to us.