Agriculture

As temperatures warm up, Minnesota farmers are ready to head into the fields for spring planting. This year farmers have reason to be optimistic. Prices for the Minnesota's two major crops, corn and soybeans, are close to all-time highs.
For years residents of the Red River Valley have struggled with floods. Cities and towns have spent millions of dollars building dikes and diversion projects in an attempt to stay dry. Now researchers are working on a new approach to flood protection, patterned after a waffle.
A future dairy farmer came up with a proposal that would make it easier for him to start his own dairy farm. The idea has piqued the interest of some Minnesota legislators.
Farmers in southern Minnesota are welcoming a jury verdict which cleared a hog producer of allegations that his livestock caused nuisance odors. A New Ulm couple claimed fumes from hog manure stored on the farm were so offensive they were forced to move. The jury said hog odors are not a nuisance.
Some Stearns County farmers are upset with a neighbor's plans for his land. A dairy farmer north of Melrose wants permission to do something unusual. He'd like to seed a crop of houses where corn and soybeans would usually grow. The landowner says because of the slumping farm economy, it's the best way to make money from his dairy farm. His neighbors say houses don't belong in a farm field in the middle of prime dairy country. The issue is forcing Stearns County officials to plan for future development.
Local governments are becoming more protective of farmers. In southwest Minnesota a county board struggled with a proposal to locate a Buddhist temple in an agricultural area.
It's getting harder for farmers and ranchers in Minnesota to find a veterinarian when they need one. As older vets retire, there are fewer young vets who want to take over rural practices. It turns out more vet students are choosing to work on small animals in urban areas after graduation. The change has the state facing a shortage of vets who specialize in livestock.
Minnesota's food and health experts did their best to ease fears and answer assorted questions about mad cow disease in a statewide videoconference with farmers, veterinarians and public health professionals.
A cow found to be carrying mad cow disease was born before regulations, investigators announced Monday. Food safety experts and the USDA are trying to determine if current safeguards are good enough.
The beef industry says it will respond to mad cow disease and be a stronger industry. However, the bovine spongiform encephalopathy case in Washington state has Minnesota farmers and ranchers concerned about the future.