Agriculture

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.
Minnesota man celebrates 50 years as dairy cattle judge
John Schroeder, the lifelong dairy farmer from rural Courtland got his start on the University of Minnesota judging team. He got his first invitation to be a professional judge soon after graduating in 1969.
Austin-based Hormel Foods is selling its Nebraska pork processing plant in a deal that will leave it with a guaranteed supply of meat for Spam and other products.
Berry growers using lasers to stave off thieving birds
Laser beams that sweep erratically across crops have shown promise in protecting harvests from loss caused by birds. But researchers are still studying whether the beams may harm the animals' retinas.