Agriculture

Fertilizer rules to start this week, but will they curb Minn. groundwater’s nitrate problem?
Starting this week, farmers in parts of Minnesota will face new restrictions on how they apply nitrogen fertilizer. The regulations are aimed at reducing nitrate contamination in the state's groundwater. But whether they'll have a real impact on a growing health and environmental problem is still up for debate.
'Make Farmers Black Again': African Americans fight discrimination to own farmland
There is a growing movement of young farmers led by people of color in the Northeast but barriers to accessing funding and land remain. The family behind Triple J Farm in Windsor, N.Y., knows this.
Iowa 'hurting' after storm, seeks nearly $4B in disaster aid
Iowa homes, cornfields, utility companies and government agencies have losses estimated at nearly $4 billion from last week's derecho, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Sunday.
Minn. congressional hopefuls stress their farm bona fides
Candidates showcased their knowledge of agriculture policy and highlighted their rural connections during a pair of FarmFest virtual forums.
Food is growing more plentiful, so why do people keep warning of shortages?
For more than a century, food has been getting more abundant, and cheaper. Yet people keep worrying about food shortages. Some economists say the fears actually create their own problems.
Miles from the farm, U.S. Senate rivals debate ag policy
The annual FarmFest event was relegated to a virtual gathering during the pandemic, pushing a pair of U.S. Senate candidates from an open-air tent to a stilted debate via computer.
Washington farmworkers ask state Supreme Court for overtime pay
Farmworkers in Washington state have gone to court to demand overtime pay. Coronavirus outbreaks in agricultural communities have focused new attention on working conditions and pay on farms.
Red pine shoot moths leaving their mark across much of Minnesota
If you live near red pine trees — and in much of Minnesota, chances are you do — you may have noticed some dead, brown patches in the upper branches this summer. They're proof of a moth outbreak the likes of which the state hasn’t seen in more than 20 years.
Big-money investors gear up for a trillion-dollar bet on farm land
A trillion dollars worth of American farmland will change hands in the coming years. Wealthy investors are likely to buy more of it, with the power to shape rural communities and the environment.
NW Minnesota's wet cycle persists, putting crops again in peril
Minnesota’s northwest corner can’t catch a break from excessive rain. After a soggy last fall and spring flooding, heavy rains are damaging crops and roads.