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Plant fanatics climb up trees hunting for 'witch's brooms'

Plant fanatics climb up trees hunting for 'witch's brooms'

Now about brooms -- witch's brooms, to be exact. Small, tightly woven masses of branches that can appear high up in pine trees across northern Minnesota. These "brooms" are actually the genetic source of a lot of the landscape plants and shrubs sold at nurseries. They're not often easy to retrieve.
by Dan Kraker

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High Minn. land prices force aspiring farmers to sidelines

High Minn. land prices force aspiring farmers to sidelines

High land prices are making it difficult for young farmers. In one of the most volatile and expensive land markets in history, they generally don't have the financial resources to compete with established producers or investors. For those seeking a start, just renting a few acres is daunting.
by Mark Steil

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Farmers look to South America as crop price indicator

Farmers look to South America as crop price indicator

Farmers are watching agricultural production in South America this winter as they try to predict the direction corn and soybean prices will take in coming months.
by Mark Steil

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USDA chief: Rural America becoming less relevant

USDA chief: Rural America becoming less relevant

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has some harsh words for rural America: It's "becoming less and less relevant," he says. The former Democratic governor of Iowa told farm belt leaders that they need to be more strategic in picking their political fights.

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American Crystal could have record year, despite lockout

American Crystal could have record year, despite lockout

Despite a lockout that's lasted 16 months, American Crystal Sugar officials say the company is on track for record sugar production. The lockout's effect on business is "diminishing rapidly," company President David Berg said.
by Dan Gunderson

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Stalled bill tops agenda at farmers convention

Members of the Minnesota Farmers Union are planning a strategy to try to persuade the lame-duck Congress to pass the stalled farm bill. The Minnesota farmers are meeting this weekend at their 71st annual convention.
by Rupa Shenoy

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As food labels multiply, some confuse consumers

As food labels multiply, some confuse consumers

Food labels claim to certify a wide array of sustainable practices. Hundreds of so-called eco-labels have cropped up in recent years, with more introduced every month -- and consumers are willing to pay extra for products that feature them.

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ND voters add 'right to farm' to state constitution

ND voters add 'right to farm' to state constitution

Voters in the ag-dependent state became the first to enshrine the right to farm in their constitution, a move that some say could have far-reaching effects on genetic modification, land use and the way animals are raised.

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Farmers wrap up harvest ahead of average

Minnesota farmers are finishing the corn and sunflower harvests ahead of the five-year average.

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Dairy farm safety net dies with farm bill

Small dairy farmers in the Northeast and Wisconsin say a tough year has been made worse by Congress' failure to pass a new farm bill before the old one expired.

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