Business and Economic News

How the craft flour movement could be a boon to farmers and Indian Country
As U.S. wheat farmers face painful losses in the global market due to President Trump's policies, one domestic flour mill on a reservation in Oregon is expanding its production twelvefold.
Target is eliminating 1,800 corporate jobs as it looks to reclaim its lost luster
Target is eliminating about 1,800 corporate positions in an effort to streamline decision-making and accelerate initiatives to rebuild the flagging discount retailer’s customer base. 
Fergus Falls leaning into homey day care ‘pods’
Plans are afoot in Fergus Falls to build out a series of adjacent day care pods, which require less overhead than center-based facilities while offering some of the comforts associated with home-based care. 
Minnesota’s 2 cannabis, hemp testing facilities gear up for boom in recreational market
St. Paul-based Legend Technical Services and ChRi Laboratories, Minnesota’s two testing facilities, are preparing for new testing rules to go into effect and the state’s recreational-cannabis market to take off.
USDA is reopening some 2,100 offices to help farmers access $3B in aid despite the ongoing shutdown
The Agriculture Department will reopen about 2,100 county offices all across the country Thursday despite the ongoing government shutdown to help farmers and ranchers get access to $3 billion of aid from existing programs.
Ag loan defaults are climbing in Minnesota. The programs meant to help are under strain
Trade wars, low commodity prices and rising costs are pushing farmers’ credit to the limit. A growing number of Minnesota farmers are defaulting on their bank loans, according to a program that helps them.