Agriculture

Meet the farmers of the future: Robots
Robots are key to a new wave of local agriculture that aims to raise lettuce, basil and other produce in metropolitan areas while conserving water and sidestepping the high costs of human labor.
Gustavus conference focuses on future of soil in sustaining life
Organizers say there's been a lot of interest in this year's Nobel Conference, with more than 3,000 people registered and thousands more expected to watch the sessions online.
Farmers in southern Minn. test soil health with buried undies
Burying underwear in a field isn't exactly a scientific test, but farmers have found burying underwear is a fun way to raise awareness around the importance of soil health.
Huge squirrel population driving farmers nuts in New England
There's a bumper crop of squirrels in New England, and the frenetic critters are frustrating farmers by chomping their way through apple orchards, pumpkin patches and corn fields.
Minn. farmers are in D.C. to talk to officials. Here's what's on their minds
Members of the Minnesota Farm Bureau and Minnesota Farmers Union are in Washington, D.C., this week to meet with elected officials and members of the Trump administration about issues ranging from trade to environmental regulations.
As wildfires rage, smoke chokes out farmworkers and delays some crops
Smoke from wildfires is blanketing much of the West. That's ruining some crops and may be stunting others. And it's making it difficult or unsafe for laborers to pick the harvest.
New apple variety debuts at State Fair
The First Kiss apple was developed at the University of Minnesota. It's based off a Honeycrisp apple but ripens up to a month earlier, about Aug. 20 -- right around fair time.