Local
Meatpacking is nearly normal, but workers left to cope with COVID-19's toll
More than 30,000 meatpacking workers nationally have fallen ill. At least 100 have died, with the lives of others upended or permanently altered.
Agriculture
Struggling Minnesota farmers weigh their support for Trump
Many growers around Minnesota facing an uncertain farm economy are having their faith in President Trump tested this time around.
Local
Meatpacking plants nearly back at capacity, but COVID fallout continues on farms
Farmers and consumers continue to pay a price from the shutdown.
Agriculture
Minnesota soybean farmers may use dicamba despite court ruling
The recent court ruling was "very untimely," says Minnesota's ag commissioner.
Agriculture
Minnesota ethanol production ramping up again
Three of four Minnesota plants idled as demand tanked due to COVID-19 have reopened.
Local
More than 200 at Quality Pork, Hormel in Austin test positive for COVID-19
The two companies' plants in Austin had seen limited exposure, but over 200 now have the virus.
Agriculture
Minnesota farmer charged with cheating grain elevator
Federal prosecutors say he had two co-conspirators who worked at the CHS elevator in Herman.
Local
Long Prairie Packing latest Minnesota meatpacking plant to have COVID-19 outbreak
It has sparked a more than sixfold increase in COVID-19 cases in Todd County over the past two weeks.
Local
Manure, fertilizers overload parts of Minnesota with nitrogen, mapping project finds
Group tracks where nearly 50 million tons of animal waste goes on Minnesota fields, adding nitrates to wells, rivers and lakes.
Agriculture
Glen Taylor-owned pork firm in Windom to merge with Canadian pork producer
Manitoba-based HyLife is one of Canada's largest producers.
Local
Virus hit meat plants just as workers asked to speed up
Even as the outbreak began to force plants to temporarily close last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture continued granting permission to chicken processors to boost speeds by 25% on production lines.
Agriculture
Corn prices keep slumping, and Minnesota farmers keep planting more
Farmers call it "plant and pray." With supply far outpacing demand, another huge corn crop is projected in 2020.
Agriculture
U.S. farmers will get $16 billion in direct aid because of COVID-19
Payments to go to farmers, ranchers facing price declines and market disruptions
Agriculture
Hormel's sales surge but profit is squeezed on COVID-related costs
Executives said they expect costs to be about $30 million to $40 million above previous expectations for each of the next two quarters.
Local
As virus loomed, Worthington pork plant refused to slow down
A week before JBS idled its Worthington pork plant, it was clear that meatpacking plants had become clusters of the virus. But until April 20, JBS was running the plant, which can slaughter as many as 21,000 hogs a day, at full tilt. JBS has made strides since shutting down, but workers say it was slow to react
Local
Next to a vineyard in southwest Minnesota, a site for euthanized hogs
Tens of thousands of pigs have been euthanized in Minnesota in recent weeks thanks to the shutdowns of meatpacking plants after outbreaks of coronavirus among workers. The site where euthanized hogs are ground into compost in Nobles County is a wide open field across the road from a lakeside vineyard.
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Agriculture
News coverage and the latest trends in Minnesota agriculture, including dairy, cattle, poultry and wheat, corn, soybean and potato farming.
