Former Gregory, S.D., elevator employee pleads not guilty to embezzlement

Melissa Vosika, 29, appeared in court May 15 in Burke and pleaded not guilty to seven counts of embezzlement, three counts of altering corporate records, three counts of forgery and one count of attempted embezzlement.

Region’s seed experts support court’s decision in favor of Monsanto

Some soybean and seed officials in North Dakota say they’re not surprised about the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that affirmed an Indiana farmer infringed a Monsanto seed patent by buying and planting bin-run soybeans containing the patented trait.

Body identified as missing ND rancher; man charged with murder

The man’s body found this week near Williston was identified today as Jack Sjol, a 58-year-old rancher who had been missing since April 24.

• Jack Sjol
• Ryan Lee Stensaker

ND senators decry crop insurance, conservation compliance link

The Senate farm bill scheduled for debate May 21 would link crop insurance to conservation compliance, significantly affecting North Dakota farmers who drained wetlands to allow more room for valuable crops. The House bill does not link the two.

Senate will debate farm bill May 21

The Senate is expected to begin debate May 21 on a new farm bill that the Senate Agriculture Committee approved on May 14.

House Ag Committee approves farm bill

The House Agriculture Committee on May 15 approved a new farm bill that would make most of the same changes proposed last year, but would also repeal the section of the 2008 farm bill that directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration to address practices by meatpackers and poultry companies that farmers and ranchers said were hurting them.

Minn. barn blaze kills 40 cattle

A barn and 40 head of cattle were destroyed in a fire just north of Perham, Minn., Friday evening.

Grand Forks, N.D., council hears fertilizer plant plans

Grand Forks (N.D.) City Council members Tuesday received a preview of the long list of preparations required to make a proposed $1.5 billion fertilizer plant near the city a reality.

House Ag Committee set to OK cut in food stamp program

The House Agriculture Committee is considering a five-year farm bill that would make small cuts to the $80 billion-a-year food stamp program.

Cando, N.D., pasta plant to restart

The former Noodles by Leonardo pasta plant in Cando, N.D., will begin producing pasta next week, about six months after it closed its doors.

• Noodles by Leonardo

Senate Ag Committee approves massive farm bill

The Senate Agriculture Committee has approved a massive five-year farm bill that would cut spending while also creating new subsidies for farmers.

Simplot wants approval for 5 biotech potato varieties

This month, tuber processing giant J.R. Simplot Co. asked the U.S. government to approve five varieties of biotech potatoes. They’re engineered not to develop ugly black bruises — McDonald’s, which gets many of its fries from Simplot, rejects those.

ND fertilizer plan a ‘monstrous challenge’

Video: Setting up stocker success

Mitch Blanding, Zoetis, and Gary Fike, Certified Angus Beef, talk about stocker strategies that set cattle up for success.

Weather influences market

U.S. ending stocks for old-crop wheat was at 731 million bushels, unchanged from last month. Global ending stocks were 180.17 metric tons, down from 182.26 million metric tons last month.

• Ray Grabanski