Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now

Agriculture

How biochar — the ‘Swiss Army knife of climate tools’ — is growing in Minnesota

How biochar — the ‘Swiss Army knife of climate tools’ — is growing in Minnesota

Minnesota is emerging as a leader in the research and manufacturing of biochar, a substance that can combat climate change by locking away carbon for centuries. It can also provide other environmental benefits such as filtering water and improving soil.
by Dan Kraker

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
U.S. to hand over pest inspections of Mexican avocados to Mexico

U.S. to hand over pest inspections of Mexican avocados to Mexico

Threats and violence against inspectors have caused the U.S. to suspend inspections in the past. California growers question if Mexico's inspectors would be better equipped to withstand the pressure.
by The Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
To grow Minnesota’s future forests, an effort to collect seeds takes root

To grow Minnesota’s future forests, an effort to collect seeds takes root

There’s a surge of interest to plant millions more trees in Minnesota, but there’s a problem — there aren’t nearly enough seeds to plant those trees. Work is underway to change that.
by Dan Kraker

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
The fall harvest: What to do with what you grew

The fall harvest: What to do with what you grew

MPR News guest host Emily Bright talks with two guests that are experts at growing, harvesting, storing and cooking your own produce.
by Emily Bright and Nikhil Kumaran

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Rural Voice: How to sustainably grow regenerative agriculture in rural Minnesota

Rural Voice: How to sustainably grow regenerative agriculture in rural Minnesota

Rural Voice was in Detroit Lakes on Monday, Sept. 9, for a town hall about farming. They discussed everything from how to cultivate a mindset shift in farmers to how to incentivize regenerative practices.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Regenerative agriculture is sold as a climate solution. Can it do all it says?

Regenerative agriculture is sold as a climate solution. Can it do all it says?

Governments and industries are pouring billions of dollars into so-called “regenerative agriculture.” But while scientists say some of these farming practices do reduce planet heating pollution, for others the science is less clear.
by Julia Simon

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
The man who put the ‘snap’ in Honeycrisp is stepping aside

The man who put the ‘snap’ in Honeycrisp is stepping aside

Jim Luby, who has led the fruit breeding program at the University of Minnesota since 1982, is retiring. His is one of the researchers credited with developing such apples as the Zestar!, the SweeTango and, the giant among them, the Honeycrisp. He’s also developed many other fruits too. It’s involved a lot of hard work, experimentation and tasting thousands of apples.
by Peter Cox

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Bringing back ‘bio supermarkets’: Program helps landowners restore vanished wetlands

Bringing back ‘bio supermarkets’: Program helps landowners restore vanished wetlands

Wetlands help prevent flooding, filter nutrient pollution, store carbon and provide wildlife habitat. But many have disappeared due to draining and filling. A partnership between the federal government and a nonprofit is helping willing private landowners restore wetlands in the Upper Mississippi headwaters.
by Kirsti Marohn

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
The cost of senior care: Why aging farmers fear the nursing home

The cost of senior care: Why aging farmers fear the nursing home

Small family farmers are often “land rich, cash poor,” and nursing homes and other types of long-term care are expensive. Many worry about sacrificing their land to pay for care at the end of life.
by Juliana Kim and Tim Evans

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!