Agriculture

'Earth is our mother': Minnesota farm addresses climate change by reintroducing bison, Ojibwe horses
It’s a busy time of year for farmers like David Wise, who is juggling quite a few projects, including reintroducing bison and Ojibwe horses to his farm in Northern Minnesota. He is a descendant of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the founder of Native Wise farm, which produces wild rice, maple syrup, CBD and vegetables.
Non-farming landlords control a significant amount of land. Some want to use it to help curb climate change
Land use, including agriculture and forestry, has become Minnesota’s number two source of carbon emissions, after transportation. And one group you may not think of has some decision-making power to help reduce that pollution: non-farming landowners.
Off-farm landowners share their families' stories of transition
Approximately half of Minnesota’s land area is used for agriculture. A large chunk of the state’s farmland — about 35 percent — is rented from owners who do not farm. We talked farmland transitions and the roles of heirs and renters in Minnesota farm country.
Maple syrup producers go with climate fluctuations flow
Climate fluctuations can mean different seasons for maple syrup producers — and they’re adapting.
A 'new normal': Health officials, poultry farmers brace for likely return of avian flu
Avian influenza has returned to Minnesota after a brief break. A new outbreak of the virus was reported this week in a backyard flock in southern Minnesota. The virus caused 110 outbreaks in poultry flocks across Minnesota last year and caused the deaths of numerous wild raptors and waterfowl. Here’s what experts tracking the virus are expecting this year.
Ag Department sees need to support local food in Minnesota
When the pandemic disrupted food supply chains in 2020, many people scrambled to buy food directly from farmers. That local food movement is still growing. A new initiative hopes to provide more state support for small farmers and local food networks.