Agriculture

Closing the farm gate: Struggling farmers take emotional step to forge new career paths
Even when times are tough, farmers have traditionally resisted the idea of giving up a profession that is rooted in family history. But a new program in southeastern Minnesota aims to make it easier for struggling farmers to make that decision and sharpen their skills for a new career.
Mentors help hopefuls overcome biggest hurdle to getting into farming: Finding land
Finding land is a big barrier for those who want to get into any kind of farming, but a mentorship program pairing beginning farmers with farmland navigators is working to make things easier.
Out of this world? New Cosmic Crisp apple set to debut
They call it the Cosmic Crisp. It's not a video game, a superhero or the title of a Grateful Dead song. It's a new variety of apple, coming to a grocery store near you Dec. 1.
Most U.S. dairy cows are descended from just two bulls - and that's not good
The drive to produce more milk has had an unsavory side effect: Cows have become more genetically similar and less fertile. Now scientists are trying to recover valuable genetic variation that was lost over the past few decades.
Microsoft joins futuristic farm venture near Fargo
Company president Brad Smith announced Thursday that Microsoft is contributing $1.5 million to help get the venture started.
Some U.S. farmers get a reprieve at end of challenging year
Minnesota and the Dakotas have seen snow and rain in recent weeks that have hampered an already difficult harvest. Many farmers in the Midwest and South whose planting this year was interrupted by wet weather are getting a reprieve, though a few Northern states have seen their harvest prospects go from bad to worse.