agriculture

Uncertainty amid promise of agriculture climate solutions (Yale 360)

by Trevor Russell

update

April 7, 2020

As policymakers and advocates look to croplands to sequester carbon, a recent article from Yale 360 points out that flows of greenhouse gases into and out of soil are complex, and outcomes can be uncertain. >>

Soil isn't a dirt-y word

by Peter LaFontaine

update

April 6, 2020

You know it when you smell it — good soil is healthy! Here's an explainer for how soil organic matter can make a difference for plants, animals and downstream neighbors. >>

Why rivers flood

by Trevor Russell

update

February 14, 2020

Community water supplies at risk. Sediment and pollutants washing downstream. Catastrophic floods right around the corner — A recent Star Tribune article reminds us of the growing threat high flows and erosion pose for the Minnesota River — and the toll that takes on our waters and communities. >>

Viruses, floods and an economic shoving match: All in a day's work on the farm

by Peter LaFontaine

update

February 10, 2020

What does coronavirus have to do with the economic prospects of rural communities in 2020? In our endlessly entangled global market, it turns out that a public health crisis on the other side of the planet can have shockwaves felt here in Minnesota. We see this as yet another sign that it's time to shift our agricultural practices, for both the river and our farming communities. >>

You say potato, I say fiasco

by Peter LaFontaine

update

January 22, 2020

Here's what one farmer's fight tells us about agriculture, public health and our state's exasperating approach to balancing priorities. >>

Report: One in eight Minnesotans drink groundwater with elevated nitrate

by Trevor Russell

update

January 15, 2020

Drinking water for an estimated half a million Minnesotans is drawn from groundwater contaminated with elevated levels of nitrate, a toxic pollutant that is linked to cancer and is especially dangerous for infants, according to a recent Environmental Working Group analysis of federal and state test data. >>

What is Forever Green?

update

January 8, 2020

Perennial crops like Kernza, under development through the University of Minnesota Forever Green Initiative, hold promise for soil and water health, as well as farm profit. Read more