Agriculture

An ambitious new study aims to track the effects of regenerative agriculture on 1,000 farms across the country. Regenerative agriculture is a set of farming practices focusing on soil health and enhanced biodiversity.

Pat and Madeline Revier run Revier Family Farms in Moorhead, Minn., where they raise over a million crickets for human and animal consumption. They told host Cathy Wurzer about their story and the versatility and sustainability of crickets as a protein source, and they even shared a recipe for chocolate chip cookies — made with cricket flour.

Animal health officials say a strain of avian flu confirmed in a commercial turkey flock in southern Minnesota does not pose a risk to the public and there are no food safety concerns for consumers. 

With the drought and the COVID-19 pandemic, it's been a tough year for Minnesota farmers. Rodrigo Cala of the Latino Economic Development Center, a partner in a new Minnesota Department of Agriculture mental health initiative, spoke to Cathy Wurzer about stress among Latino farmers.

Shoppers rushing to find a turkey for the Thanksgiving holiday might pay more this year. Wholesale turkey prices have hit a record high and while that sounds like good news for farmers in Minnesota, who lead the nation in turkey production, the higher prices at the store don't mean big profits for farmers.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is launching an Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative to help promote Indigenous foods and agricultural practices.

The newly passed federal infrastructure bill could lead to a boom in solar production requiring a lot more land, including farmland. But research is showing solar panels might actually help some crops grow.

A growing number of agri-businesses are offering to pay farmers for practices that store carbon in the soil. But the cost of accurately measuring carbon in fields might be keeping farmers out of the market. Researchers are trying to improve the process.

As Minnesota officials work to contain the spread of chronic wasting disease in deer, research is developing new technology that can help track the disease. But there's disagreement over how and when to use the technology.

Sahan Journal reporter Andrew Hazzard talked with host Cathy Wurzer about a proposed road project and related concerns from the Hmong American Farmers Association.