TikTok farmer in Rolla says app is a benefit to ND producers as he discusses possible government ban

ROLLA, N.D. (KFYR) - The bill to ban TikTok that passed in the House of Representatives Wednesday is now headed to the Senate. Lawmakers argue the China-owned company is a potential threat to national security. But local creators say the social media platform has been beneficial, creating a community of people who love the same thing.

Tim Mickelson farms about 2,800 acres of land in Rolla. He produces spring wheat, canola and barley, among other things. But in 2018, one of his kids introduced him to TikTok. Once he downloaded the app, he says he started making farm-based videos, which took off.

He began by shooting TikTok videos from his tractor cab and sprayer. But he realized that #farmtok was drawing him into a community of other farmers from around the Midwest and beyond.

He says he eventually met about 10 farmers in his region from the app. His account “@bisonaddict” has amassed more than 13,700 followers.

He says the only drawback is the amount of time he spends on TikTok. Other than that, he says it has been nothing but positive.

“To me, it seems like more of a government overreach right now. We really can get together and put a bill together to ban TikTok really quickly, but we can’t do anything else in the U.S. House. And that bothers me. It is the information and the access to information... that actually does help the Midwest producers,” said Mickelson.

Beyond that, Mickelson says he also knows local farmers who have created TikTok shops to sell ag-related goods, which are turning a profit. He says without the app, those revenue streams and ensuing tax dollars would be lost. He says he will be in D.C. next week for the U.S. canola meeting and plans to bring up the issue to North Dakota legislators.

If TikTok does get banned, Mickelson says it’s back to the farm full-time. But he says he might start dabbling a bit more on Snapchat to connect with other producers there.