St. Cloud Times from Saint Cloud, Minnesota • Page 2

2A St Cloud Times State Saturday, Jan. 7, 1995 Consultants play key roles in Midwestern farm fields fV .1 0-1 keep up with demand," he said. The American Society of Agronomy, a professional organization based at Madison, is working with land grant universities to keep sending trained people through the agro-environmental pipeline, said Mike Fresvik, environmental regulatory supervisor at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. On another front, public universities are working with the new industry on research that supports environmental farming practices. Regulations keep coming, including license requirements from Department of Transportation units that watch over who is driving chemical tank trucks between business places and farm sites.

But participating in some regulatory programs adds more costs to doing business on farms, say agronomy people. And this is creating a problem for small farmers and the small-town merchants who supply them with farm production products. "I doubt people realize that when they are pushing for greater environmental regulation of agriculture, they are also pushing the small farmer off the land," Sahlstrom said. In the mid-1980s, agribusinesses wondered aloud whether Cenex was positioned to survive the coming environmental age of agriculture. That was before agro-environmental consulting grew into an important service Cenexand O'Lakes provides to affiliated local cooperatives.

"Now people ought to ask who else but the large regional cooperatives will survive out there," Beck said. Environmental concerns change face of farming ST. PAUL (AP) There's a whole new breed of hired hand on Minnesota and Wisconsin farms nowadays. They are agricultural and environmental consultants, part of an entirely new agro-environment industry that began only five or six years ago and has been growing rapidly in the last few years. Farmers are taking the consultants along into the fields to make sure fertilizers and farm chemicals are used appropriately and don't become pollutants in nearby streams or municipal and farm water systems.

The new industry started with crops, but is quickly expanding to livestock farming as well. Consultants now help choose locations for new barns and feed-lots and prepare farmers' applications for building, zoning and environmental permits. Amon Baer, part-owner of a large family-owned poultry and egg farm at Lake Park, says he and his brothers would be out of business if not for the help of agro-environment consultants. "Our neighbors could take over our land and operate it for crops without hiring any employees and without buying any additional tractors or equipment," Baer said. Environmental consulting and permit work now costs from $5,000 to $10,000 for each bam, he added.

Industry observers claim agro-environmental expertise fees already may total hundreds of millions of dollars annually across the nation. It is likely that more than $100 million is being offices in farm service communities all across the Midwest, including the major rural service centers in Minnesota and Wisconsin, Sahlstrom said. And existing environmental consulting and engineering firms, which tend to be based in large urban areas, are rediscovering the countryside and expanding their operations to include agricultural consulting. But farmers now need help from agronomists and other crop scientists, geologists, hydrologists, chemists and, occasionally, entomologists to bring in large but low-cost harvests of major crops, said Mark Kubesh, a senior member of the Baumgartner Environics con-sultingfirm. It isn't easy gaining access to such expertise in many rural areas, says Bob Beck, manager of crop production and agronomy training at Cenexand O'Lakes in Inver Grove Heights.

A joint venture farm supply and service company formed by the two large St. Paul suburban cooperatives, Cenexand O'Lakes has hired 250 people with bachelor's degrees in science in the last five years and trained 100 previously hired employees to work as crop and environment consultants in its Midwest and Northwest service areas. Colleges and universities aren't educating as many scientists as needed by companies involved with farm chemicals and the rural environment and by private consulting firms, said Beck, who formerly taught such courses at the University of Illinois and University of Wisconsin-River Falls. "We're giving science training to graduates with agricultural economics and farm management degrees, trying to AP PHOTO Lor-ATs Soil Teg Soilection equipment, on display As concerns about the environment have this week at a Minneapolis Convention Center increased, such equipment and environmental trade show, uses computers and satellites to map consultants have become important parts of precise application of nutrients to cultivate the farming in Minnesota and Wisconsin, soil yet reduce waste and runoff contamination. somewhat contradictory, goals.

So a new industry has risen up to work out conflicts from the public goals." New consulting firms are opening soils," said Craig Sahlstrom, executive director of the Minnesota Plant Food Chemicals Association in St. Paul. "These are both understandable, if spent each year on such services in the Minnesota and Wisconsin market. "Everyone wants cheap, abundant food, and they want clean water and to start 'News of Your Choice' for channel surf ers fa We've never invited anyone to ever change the channel on us. ix John Culliton WCCO VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER for news at NBC affiliate KARE-TV, Channel 11.

"A lot of people simply push the remote control and go up the dial. And obviously, we are in-between Channels 4 and 23 and we have as much of a chance of enticing those viewers." A broadcasting consultant agrees that WCCO is in danger of losing some of its audience. "The first rule of zapping is that when you zap out from Station you don't go to Station B. You go to the world. You go to the other 106 channels on your system," said Jacques de Suze, president of McHugh and Hoffman Inc.

of McLean, Va. Another problem may arise if a viewer is interested in both segments that are showing on WCCO and KLGT. But a former competitor sees chobse-your-news as the wave of the future. Ben Franklin Cutnl MhmmoU laroal Craft Store. 15.000 Squm Fttl el Craft MwdwirfM UcOwnj i All Christmas MARKETPLACE ('' or- waiti Waite rP Former KSTP-TV news director Mendes Napoli, who now manages on-air talent, said the coining information superhighway is "all about selecting personalities you're interested in and having more choices." to (zPieey ofllemont "i "IPtt.

We know how difficult times like TJ3C thin can be. LTlaVL-S? Czcjtti Frame Shop 1 1 Gallery Regular White Tagged Prices Merchandise Pant SAT. 9-6 items and basic SUN. 11-5 stock items 1-1 Jf Jtf'' ananparoent WCCO, the top-rated station in the nation's 14th-largest market, can shore up its appeal to younger viewers coveted by advertisers by running more features while KLGT gets a newscast without the start-up expense. KLGT is a UHF station in St.

Paul that this month joins the fledgling WB Network formed by Warner Bros. WCCO also stands to gain something else, "As a business venture, not only do "you take a potential competitor out of the marketplace, you better utilize your own resources," said Bill Yeager, chairman of the Radio-Television News Directors Association. And viewers who say they want more local news get that option without having to sit through an hourlong newscast. But a competitor thinks her station will benefit from the WCCO-KLGT pick-and-choose news. "I think it's a mistake to encourage viewers to turn away from your own station," said Janet Mason, vice president in his State of the Union address that the United States had developed a hydrogen bomb.

In 1979, Vietnamese forces captured the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, overthrowing the Khmer Rouge government. In 1985, Secretary of State George P. Shultz and Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei A. Gromyko opened two days of superpower arms talks in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1994, the government reported the unemployment rate fell to a three-year low of 6.4 percent in December 1 993.

Nancy Kerrigan withdrew from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit, a day after her right knee was severely bruised in an attack following a practice session. al manager. "This really is new, and it really recognizes a truth in behavior that sometimes broadcasters try to deny. And that is, that people flip stations," she said.

Under the partnership, WCCO will compensate KLGT with an undisclosed amount of cash and a minute of commercial time to sell during its portion of the newscast. Ratings from the two newscasts will be combined, and that could mean that WCCO could charge more for ad time. "We expect the value of the late news to increase, based on additional rating points," said WCCO director of sales Bill Bradley. Both stations will have the same commercial breaks. A separate anchor will introduce the pre-recorded KLGT segments, which will be broadcast from WCCO's downtown Minneapolis studio and feature WCCO reporters.

A simulcast wrap-up will conclude both newscasts. For the two stations, it's win-win. Today In History In 1610, the astronomer Galileo Galilei sighted four of Jupiter's moons. In 1789, the first U.S. presidential election was held.

Americans voted for electors who, a month later, chose George Washington to be the nation's first president. In 1 800, the 1 3th president of the United States, Millard Fillmore, was bom in Sum-merhill, N.Y. In 1894, one of the earliest motion picture experiments took place at the Thomas Edison studio in West Orange, N.J., as comedian Fred Ott was filmed while sneezing. In 1942, the World War II siege of Bataan began. In 1953, President Truman announced C.M (612)654-0907 WCCO-TV Simultaneous newscast to take softer approach MINNEAPOLIS AP) Attention, channel-surfers.

WCCO-TV wants you to do something most stations consider taboo flip the dial on their late-night news. Not to a competitor, mind you, but to an independent station showing an alternate newscast with a softer approach, more emphasis on local news and produced by WCCO. Starting Jan. 16, WCCO will adopt a "News of Your Choice" format for its 10 p.m. weekday newscasts.

Viewers will be invited to watch Channel 4's regular 35-minute newscast or to jump to die other newscast on KLGT-TV, Channel 23. Both stations will open with a simulcast of the day's top stories. Then while WCCO runs world headlines and a full weather report, KLGT will air a 10-sec-ond "is it going to rain tomorrow?" forecast and local news. When WCCO does sports, KLGT will run health and lifestyle stories. The mix-and-match format acknowl- ST.

CLOUD Official newspaper of Steams County and cities of St Cloud, Sailed and Waite Park. Established 1861, the St Cloud Times (ISSN 0742-7913) is owned by St. Cloud Newspapers a member of the Gannett Co. Inc. Published daily and Sundays.

Principal place of business and address: 3000 Seventh St (P.O. Box 768. St Cloud, MN 56302). Second-class postage paid at St Cloud, Minn. Postmaster.

Send address changes to St Cloud Times, P.O. Box 768, St Cloud, MN 56302. Sonja Sorensen Craig, Publisher, 255-8709 Don R. Casey, Executive Editor, 255-8777 Rhonda Barlow, Advertising Director, 255-8799 Geary J. Yaeger, Circulation Director, 255-8724 Gordon M.

Johnson, Controller, 255-8787 Greg Fiorrto, Production Director, 255-8701 Patricia W. Carlson, Human Resources, 255-8798 Joan Karl, Market Development 255-8727 Advertising To Place an ad, call between 8 am. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Classified ads may be placed by calling 255-8730.

Classified display ads may be placed by calling 255-8730. Retail display advertising may be reached at 255-8721 Circulation For new subscriptions or service, call 255-8710 (or toll-free 800-955-9998) between 8 am. and 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; between 6 and 1 1 a.m. Saturdays and holidays and 6 am.

and noon Sundays Subscription rates are $3.00 per week by youth carrier, $3.30 per week by motor route and $3.60 per week by mail in state. Discounts are available for senior citizens. News Hotunes Do you have a news tip? Call anytime or write to the appropriate editor. Sports scores may be reported by calling 255-8770 after 7 p.m. John Bodette, managing editor, 255-8760 Topic editors; Rene Kaluza, educatwnenvirortment 255-8761 Lee Rood, governmentsafety, 255-8747 Mike Nistler, healthfamily, 255-8765 Dave DeLand, sportsrecreation, 255-8771 Becky Beyers, businessconsumer, 255-8764 Mike Knaak, photo editor, 255-8768 Pia Lopez, opinion page editor, 255-8762 Randy Krebs, copy desk chief, 255-8776 Obituaries, 255-8742 Silver Lining, 255-8750 Fax, 255-8775 nn limes of 9 6 LENNY'S CROSSROADS AUT0M0TIVES tJJVALVOUNE oil chances tMURWj yfr Includes up to 5 quarts of Valvoline oil, lube filter.

People Who Know 349 2nd Ave. NE 253-7944 USEVAIVOUNE Across 3rd St. from Dayton's After JS mail-in rebate edges that many viewers, armed with a remote control, already zap newscasts they don't like and create their own program. "Television stations have to catch up with that thought in a hurry or they're going to become dinosaurs," said WCCO vice president and general manager John Culliton. Culliton said a WCCO survey of 800 people in Minnesota found that four out five, or 80 percent, switch channels during a newscast.

And those who switch change an average of five times. "Those who are skeptical to me say, 'That's not the way television's been done. We've never invited anyone to ever change the channel on Culliton said. "And I say in return, 'Wake up. It's happening every It's another innovation for WCCO, which last January introduced the "family-sensitive" non-violent 5 p.m.

newscast copied by other stations around the country. CBSowned WCCO and KLGT experimented with the mixed-menu newscast in August. The near-seamless results convinced the stations it could work. "It's often said in our business you can't do anything new, you can only do the same thing in a new way," said Linda Rios Brook, KLGT president and gener- What's Shakin' Events Today Marine used boat sale, from 9 a.m. to p.m., St.

Cloud Civic Center. Free. "Peter Pan," grand opening, Central Minnesota Children's Theater, 913 St. Germain. Includes 5:30 p.m.

kids' choice buffet (adurts eat at Germain Towers), 7 p.m. play and 8:45 p.m. autograph session and reception with cast members. Cameras welcome. Admission is $15 adults and $10 children.

Events Sunday Marine used boat sale, from 9 am. to p.m., St. Cloud Civic Center. Free. "Peter Pan" by Central Minnesota Children's Theater, 2 p.m., Paramount Theatre, 91 3 St.

Germain. Admission is $6. If you have an event you'd like listed, write us a note telling when it is, where it will be and what it's all about, plus a contact name and number. In the interest of accuracy, we prefer not to take information over the telephone. Send it Shakin', St.

Ooud Times, Box 768, St. Cloud, MN 56302. Items should arrive at least three working days before they are to be published. InsEX To Advertisers Ban Franklin Boat Repossession Cinema -12A Floral Arts 2A Flower Center 1 2A Holy Spirit Church 2A Lenny's Crossroads 2A Marco Business 8A Mathew Hall Lumber. 12A Pier 1 Schmrtt Music Center 12A St.

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