BENSON — Rick Flower had a shop on his farmstead south of Benson where he did auto body work. It’s gone now.
Wind took it away during the May 12 storms that caused widespread damage in the state. All that’s left of the shop is a concrete slab and the framework of three metal hoists.
Flower and his wife, Rhonda, said they will rebuild, but he may be done doing auto repair. He plans to keep farming, he said, though grain bins and other sheds were damaged on the farm, too.
At the Connelly family farm not far away, brothers Chad and Jason Connelly lost four grain bins and a shed. Other sheds were likely damaged beyond repair.
Their big equipment, waiting to go in the fields, was not in the sheds, they said.
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Members of both families told Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday afternoon that they were glad no one was injured at either farm.
Like most farmers in the area, their biggest concern is getting into the fields. A related concern is where they’ll put their crop in the fall if their grain bins can’t be replaced in time.
Before touring the farms, Walz met with a group of local government and business leaders to talk about the damage.
Walz was accompanied by Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture Thom Petersen and Joe Kelly, the state’s director of homeland security and emergency management.
They listened to stories about the damage in the area and offered some advice.
It’s important that property owners and local governments document the damage as they clean up, Kelly said.
Kelly and Petersen said people with damage should contact their private insurance agents, take pictures of everything as they are cleaning up, and keep track of everything they do.
The damage listed by the group was extensive — in addition to hundreds of trees toppled across the area, 450 homes were damaged and three destroyed in Lac qui Parle County; numerous trees and the stadium press box were lost at Benson Public Schools; and the fire hall roof blew off in Morris, where the airport was also damaged and is still closed. Some rural residents are still waiting for power to be restored.
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Jennie-O Turkey Store President Steve Lykken said the company had an estimated $15 million loss in barns that were damaged by the storm. Some were “completely razed,” he said.
About 70 to 80 jobs have been affected at 12 sites, Lykken said.
Walz wanted to know what the most immediate need was for the communities with damage. He has already lifted some trucking industry regulations to allow cleanup to continue uninterrupted.
Benson Mayor Terri Collins said some people seem confused about where to turn to begin their cleanup.
“Don’t wait; do what you have to do to clean up,” Kelly said. “Just report all your damages.”
In addition to contacting insurance adjusters, people should contact their local emergency managers, he said.
When Federal Emergency Management Agency representatives arrive in the state soon, they will be assessing 49 counties, and will want to see the debris that has been cleared, Kelly said.
Walz asked if people who were still without power had help. County officials said the Red Cross, Salvation Army and community members had responded.
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The governor asked about mental health issues, too.
Petersen said the state Agriculture Department can offer help for farmers who are struggling with the multiple stresses farmers face.
The department has a 24-hour helpline at 833-600-2670 that offers free, confidential counseling. Help is also available by texting FARMSTRESS to 898211.
The department has farm advocates working around the state, too, Petersen said. They can mediate stressful situations and “help them get some breathing room,” he said.
“It’s a show of strength to seek help,” Walz said. “You can only take so many crises, one after another.”
- Disaster declaration approved by the Kandiyohi County Board following major storms last week
- 'Rare and extreme severe weather event' causes extensive damage across west central Minnesota
- Blomkest, Minnesota, volunteer firefighter died Thursday while on his way to storm-watching duty
- Heavy storms and rain pound west central Minnesota Wednesday evening and Thursday morning
- Severe storms sweep through southern Minnesota, Twin Cities
At the Connelly farm, he talked about damage and about the stress people in rural areas face.
“A lot of farmers you talk to, yes, they had damage, but they are concerned about the crop situation,” Walz said at the Connelly farm. A cold spring and wet weather has kept many farmers out of the fields.
He pointed to what was left of a grain bin — mostly twisted metal stairs — and said, “The thing that always strikes you, you’ll have one farmstead untouched and then you’ll come here.” He gestured at the multiple damaged buildings.
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“You hear these things on the news, and people kinda move on,” he said. “I think Minnesotans need to know this is a bad series of storms; this is a lot of devastation.”
For more information about coping with farm and rural stress, go to the Department of Agriculture website www.mda.state.mn.us/about/mnfarmerstress/copingstress.
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