Agriculture

Fargo house will research hemp construction material
Two new homes under construction in Fargo are offering researchers a chance to answer questions about the viability of hemp as a construction material. The homes are identical in size and layout, but one has hemp filled walls, while the other has fiberglass insulation.
First ship carrying Ukrainian grain leaves the port of Odesa
Turkey says the first ship carrying Ukrainian grain under a new agreement among Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations left the Ukrainian port of Odesa on Monday bound for Lebanon.
Farmers impacted by severe drought in southern Minnesota
Much of southern Minnesota is abnormally dry with the Twin Cities in a severe drought. The lack of rain is a big concern for farmers as is the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine which is creating volatility in agriculture markets. Kent Thiesse is Farm Management Analyst and Senior Vice President at MinnStar Bank. He joined host Cathy Wurzer to talk more about what Minnesota farmers are experiencing.
American Crystal Sugar union workers reject contract offer
Union workers at five American Crystal Sugar Company factories in the Red River Valley have rejected a final contract offer. The Moorhead-based cooperative has agreed to extend the current contract and continue negotiations.
Feds sue large poultry producers, including Cargill, alleging unfair worker practices
The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against some of the largest poultry producers in the United States. It’s part of an effort to end what the government says are longstanding deceptive and abusive practices for workers.
Number of Latino farmers small, but growing
According to the agricultural census, Minnesota is home to about 112,000 farmers. Of those, 650 identify as Hispanic or Latino. That number is growing.
James Clayton Wolf was charged July 7 in federal court with felony wire fraud. Prosecutors say Wolf falsely labeled crops grown on his rural Cottonwood County farm as organic and that he defrauded grain buyers and undermined the nation’s organic labeling system.
Dry June causes topsoil moisture concerns in southern, central Minnesota
So far this summer has been drier than average, even with recent rain events and a chance for storms this weekend. On Thursday, the U.S. Drought Monitor released a map showing a large swath of central and southern Minnesota abnormally dry, with some areas moving into moderate drought.
Sysco accuses 4 largest beef processors of price fixing
The nation's largest food distributor has joined the other businesses accusing the four largest meat processors of working together to inflate beef prices.