Business and Economic News

Farm Aid started 40 years ago to support local farmers during crisis
The festival started in the midst of the farm crisis of the 1980s and makes its Minnesota debut with founding members Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp. Bob Dylan was recently added to the lineup. 
Ben & Jerry's co-founder Jerry Greenfield resigns over dispute with owner Unilever
Greenfield said the Vermont ice cream maker "has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power" by Unilever, the multinational corporation that bought Ben & Jerry's in 2000.
Federal Reserve cuts key rate by quarter-point and signals two more cuts this year
The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate by a quarter-point Wednesday and projected it would do so twice more this year as concern grows at the central bank about the health of the nation’s labor market.
Trump files $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times
President Donald Trump has filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and four of its journalists. Court documents show the lawsuit was filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Florida. 
How immigrant entrepreneurs find success and challenges in Minnesota
Immigrant-run businesses play a significant role in Minnesota’s economy. MPR News guest host Chris Farrell talks about how they’re confronting the challenges of tariffs, labor shortages and new immigration policies.
The Fed faces economic uncertainty and political pressure as it decides whether to cut rates
Investors expect the Federal Reserve to reduce its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point, to about 4.1 percent. But it's not even clear which Fed officials will be making the decision.