From staff reports

While business and government appear to be preparing well for the Y2K millennium bug, it is unclear whether area farmers are doing the same.

Thursday, November 11, 1999

While business and government appear to be preparing well for the Y2K millennium bug, it is unclear whether area farmers are doing the same.

Farmers in particular stand to lose a lot, unless they prepare now.

That is because come Jan. 1, 2000, many farmers will be relying on technology to keep their herds warm and fed, just as the Minnesota winter hits in earnest.

Technology is the problem: When the year 2000 arrives, programs coded with two-digit years may interpret &uot;00&uot; to be 1900, not 2000. The date miscalculations could result in malfunctions, inaccurate information, or shutdowns of electronic equipment.

Everything from programmable thermostats to automated systems for watering, feeding and mixing are at risk on the farms.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture recommends farmers bug proof their operation, and offers these tips:

*&160;Take a walk around your farm and house. Make a complete list of all computerized and automated equipment and systems.

*&160;Prioritize a list, focusing on the essentials. Your computer or milking system may be more important than your VCR.

*&160;Gather equipment information, vendor/dealer information and manufacturer information for each piece of equipment. Check manuals, warranties and original receipts. Secure addresses, phone and fax numbers, email addresses and web sites.

*&160;Contact appropriate dealers or manufactures to find out whether your equipment is Y2K ready. Stop by your dealership, visit the manufacturer’s web site, make a phone call or mail a letter.

*&160;Keep track of all of your equipment information and contact information.

Farmers should find remedies for problem systems, and be prepared to handle some automated tasks manually if problems arise.

Residents should also prepare for Y2K, but differently.

While it still appears to be a good idea to have a few days worth of food and water on hand, stockpiling supplies and cash could do more harm than any Y2K failures, the government warns. Indeed, there is a vast difference between buying several days’ worth of supplies, and hoarding them. A December run on food, gasoline, prescriptions and cash could pose serious problems.

For the public Y2K may bring a few inconveniences, but given the massive effort to head off problems, they should be brief. We should simply prepare sensibly, and not overreact.

But, farmers must evaluate their operations, and take the same steps as other businesses to head off any problems now.