Articles
Times not so sweet for sugar
Weather and prices hurt the sugar industry, but union workers locked out of American Crystal Sugar Co. since August 2011 are heading back to work.
Plans for $1.5 billion fertilizer plant in ND officially unveiled
Officials with Northern Plains Nitrogen announced May 9 that they hope to build a $1.5 billion nitrogen plant in the northeast North Dakota city of Grand Forks.
Keep records of storm-related livestock losses
No money for program now, but funding could be restored, FSA official says.
Demand for college ag grads is strong this spring
Agriculture employs a relatively large number of baby-boomers at or near retirement age, which contributes to employers’ need for news hires, officials say.
RELATED CONTENTUSDA introduces VegScape program
VegScape supplements, but doesn’t replace, the widely followed crop progress reports that USDA issues during the growing season.
Dry bean acres to drop
Lower prices cut crop’s appeal, but keep an eye on spring weather.
USDA says corn acres will keep rising; mixed outlook for wheat, soybeans
Farmers in North Dakota, Minnesota and South Dakota will, on balance, plant more corn this year than in 2012, according to USDA’s influential prospective plantings report issued March 28.
USDA still seeking Census of Ag data
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is making one final push to collect information for the 2012 Census of Agriculture.
Area farmers raise crop insurance coverage levels
Area crop insurance agents are breathing a little easier this week. Many area farmers, for their part, are paying a little more for crop insurance than they did in 2012, while other producers are paying a little less.
New technology could improve confinement livestock efficiency
It’s called electrostatic particle ionization and an Olivia, Minn., company says the technology can help confinement livestock producers be more efficient.
Columns
Dipping into a two-sided debate
Setting 'fair' farmland rental rates not an easy task
RELATED CONTENTWillows, weather and rains
When I was a kid, my family hayed most of a low, damp meadow. Thickets of willows grew in spots too wet to hay.
RELATED CONTENTWe're right, you're crazy
This past winter, I attended an area farm conference at which one of the speakers blasted the intelligence and common sense of environmentalists.
RELATED CONTENTHow do you view agriculture?
OK, Agweek readers, I have a question for you. Which of the following best describes your view of agriculture? A) It’s a business that should be treated like any other business. B) It’s a way of life that should be protected at any cost. C) It’s both a business and a way of life.
RELATED CONTENTIf you were an urban congressman ...
Planting, harvesting and marketing a crop isn’t easy. But it’s child’s play compared with writing a new farm bill.
RELATED CONTENTThinking internationally
Through the years, I’ve dealt with a lot of successful agriculturalists — and a few who weren’t so successful.
Harvest changes with the times
Agriculture has changed in so many ways through the years, and harvest is no exception.
‘Wet cycle’ brings new challenges for area agriculture
Moisture is both the great friend and great enemy of agriculture. And because agriculture is so important in this part of the world, the amount of moisture we receive has a huge impact on our fields, towns and economy.
Two things we all agree on
Despite what urban folks might think, farmers often disagree among themselves. Everything from proper economic policy to the best brand of tractor is debated, sometimes with logic and sometimes with passion.
Frequently asked questions come with the job
Agricultural journalists often are asked about their job and the subject they cover. Here are some of the questions and my responses.
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