Twin Cities Daily Planet (https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/tag/agriculture/page/16/)
The climate in Minnesota is behaving outside the historical realm that has been observed for the last 150 years, and frequent shifts in weather extremes are occurring at rates never observed before in the state’s history.
Talking about the importance of feeding soil microbes is fine. Speaking with your feet is even better. Continue Reading
An amendment to move jurisdiction of agriculture finance from the House Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance Committee to the House Agriculture Policy Committee was defeated 15-12 by the House Rules and Legislative Administration Committee.
With the somewhat controversial decision to include agriculture under the jurisdiction of the House Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance committee, the issue was raised during the body’s first meeting.
Although most of opening day of the Minnesota House of Representatives was about non-controversial pomp and circumstance, a few disagreements emerged.
Blue Dog Collin Peterson is angry about the short shift farm programs got in the fiscal cliff deal. Minnesota’s Land Stewardship Project, which works on local food, sustainable farming and economic justice issues in rural Minnesota, isn’t pleased either. Continue Reading
At this time of year we often pause to focus on the problems of hunger and poverty. Years ago, the so-called “Green Revolution” increased agriculture production around the world, saving many lives.
Dolling out tax giveaways sometimes unfairly boosts one company within an industry over the competition. Right now, Iowa, in an effort to keep jobs from going to Illinois, is subsidizing fertilizer producers. While boxing out its eastern neighbors, Iowa’s support also puts several Minnesota companies at a competitive disadvantage. The news isn’t all bad for Minnesota, especially the state’s farmers.
For months, Collin Peterson and Tim Walz have roaming the countryside warning Minnesotans that we need to pass a five-year Farm Bill.Senators Klobuchar and Franken did their bit in the upper chamber by passing the Senate version, and the House Ag committee got its work done months ago. Continue Reading
Corn, especially when frozen, bagged and then boiled, leaves me as flat as an Iowa field. In his book The Omnivore’s Dilemma Michael Pollan warns that corn, one of our weightiest exports and the primary bloat of our cuisine, gives our nation a long line of wastefulness. When that problem is paired with the poisons in our political air we have something big to worry about, especially if we happened to be on the winning side in the recent elections and are inclined to gloat. Continue Reading