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Agriculture

Is more ethanol a good idea?

The Minnesota Senate takes up Gov. Tim Pawlenty's proposal Monday to raise the ethanol levels in Minnesota's fuel supply from 10 to 20 percent by 2012. The ethanol debate is multi-faceted, pitting farmers against car makers and environmentalists--who disagree about the net environmental impact of ethanol production--against each other. Taking everything into account, from reduced emissions and domestic energy cultivation to market distortions and voided vehicle warranties, is more ethanol a good idea?

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Atrazine ban may be introduced in Minnesota

Atrazine, a common weed killer used by corn and sorghum farmers, is under attack in Minnesota. Environmental groups and several state lawmakers want to ban or restrict the chemical because some scientists have linked it to reproductive deformities in frogs.

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State faces national hurdles in seeking increased ethanol use

Governor Pawlenty and state legislative leaders are backing plans to increase the use of ethanol fuel in the state. If the legislature passes the idea, its only the first step in a long process.

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Second mad cow disease case raises temperature of ag interests

Canadian officials have announced a second case of confirmed mad cow disease. It's the second case of the disease this year in a Canadian animal. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will send a technical team to Canada to asses the situation and could modify its decision to resume trade with Canada.

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Biodiesel production begins in Minnesota

Minnesota is the first state in the U.S. to require the use of biodiesel fuels. A plant near Redwood Falls is the first in the state to produce the new fuel.

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Tax break boosts farmland prices

Buying farmland is all about numbers these days and one of the most popular is 1031. It's a tax break that's bringing the effects of urban sprawl to all parts of the state.

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Changing market prices worry ranchers

The beef industry is cyclical. Just a year ago, the market was robust, and ranchers in all phases of the business were making money. Now, for some people the market has cooled.

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An up and down year for Minnesota farmers

Try to get a farmer to stop and talk this time of year and you're likely to get a friendly, but firm, brushoff. It's harvest time. Between combining fields and storing crops, farmers don't have a second to spare. But things don't always go as planned. Take western Minnesota farmer Bernie Zinda, who got stuck in line at his local grain elevator. He had plenty of time to talk with about a chaotic year on the farm.

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Record corn harvest in southern Minnesota

For some Minnesota farmers, the 2004 corn harvest is a once in a lifetime event. Many are finding yields they only dreamed of in the past.

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U of M has another winner of an apple

September is peak time for apples in Minnesota, and the news for apple lovers this year can be summed up in one word -- Zestar! It's the latest variety developed by the apple breeders at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum's Horticultural Research Center in Chanhassen. Apple breeders have been creating, testing and eating apples at the center for almost 100 years. The U of M's chief apple research scientist took us on a tour of the orchards.

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