Agriculture

Native nonprofit expands Minnesota farm, aims to scale up crop production amid pandemic
Dream of Wild Health has expanded its farm in Hugo, Minn., from 10 to 30 acres, and they plan to scale up production as they work to prepare the newly acquired land, which was previously conventionally farmed, for organic farming.
Belgians urged to eat more fries to help potato farmers amid pandemic-related glut
Belgian households typically eat one serving of fries per week. The head of the national potato processing association says one more won't hurt consumers or their health, and will help producers.
Healthy pigs being killed as meatpacking backlog hits farms
Officials estimate that about 700,000 pigs across the nation can't be processed each week and must euthanized. Most of the hogs are being killed at farms, but up to 13,000 a day also may be euthanized at the JBS pork plant in Worthington, Minn.
Farmers markets aim to offer comforting tradition, produce
With their outdoor space and flexible layouts, farmers markets may be able to adapt more easily to the needs of shoppers during a pandemic.
'Our contingency plan is panic': Farmers enter planting season amid low prices, COVID-19
Planting is getting underway in Minnesota, but the pandemic has knocked down crop prices — and the virus threat has farmers like Betsy Jensen on edge during the busy spring season.
Tyson Foods idles its largest pork plant after Iowa outbreak
Tyson Foods suspended operations Wednesday at an Iowa plant that is critical to the nation's pork supply but was blamed for fueling a coronavirus outbreak in the community.
Pork farmers face tough times with plant closures
Wednesday was the last day of operations at JBS pork processing plant in Worthington before its indefinite closure. This comes after reports of dozens of employees at the plant tested positive for COVID-19.
‘It was expected’: Worthington pork plant closes indefinitely
Health officials said Monday that almost 40 people with ties to the plant — employees and their family members — had confirmed cases of COVID-19. They expect that number to grow, as more people are tested and more positive cases are investigated.