A rally was held last night at the Benson High School Gymnasium in Benson, Minn.
About 900 farmers and businesspeople attended.
Gov. Rudy Perpich spoke to the group. He said: "I can assure you I will not sit by and let our farm families get wiped out in Minnesota. It might happen in other states, but it won't happen in Minnesota."
Agriculture Commissioner Jim Nichols also spoke.
Independent state Sen. Charlie Berg from Chokio (shuh-ky' oh) said that a large part of rural America is approaching insolvency.
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Berg said that farm prices are 20 percent lower this year than last year, and farmers will pay $1 billion more in expenses this year than they get in income.
Berg said: "We need a price. There's no other solution."
Gov. Perpich said that he will lobby Congress to pass the farm bill sponsored by Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin.
Nichols said that Harkin's bill will satisfy three criteria needed to help farmers: it will double farm income, cut taxpayers' costs and increase exports in both dollars and bushels.
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Exercise 16.7
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2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education