Agriculture

Agriculture
Winter oilseeds: Key to clean water and lower emissions

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These clean-water crops, which stay in the soil through the winter, can benefit the river in numerous ways. Read more
Organic farmer Karen Torjesen holds a hand low to the ground, amidst a recently planted field of winter camelina in November, 2023.
EPA says state needs to clean up drinking water in SE Minnesota

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In response to a petition we signed last spring, the federal agency is requiring Minnesota to address the public health crisis created by nitrate pollution. Read more
Drinking water glass
Video: How the 'big brown spot' pollutes the Mississippi River

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When farm fields are bare, there’s nothing to stop soil, fertilizers and other farm chemicals from washing off into our rivers, lakes and streams. This "big brown spot" in the Midwest is by far the largest source of pollution to the Mississippi. Read more
Map of Midwest with brown over much of the area around the Mississippi River
Minnesota's drought contributes to drinking water crisis downriver

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In this Q&A, Matt Rota at Healthy Gulf in Louisiana talks with FMR about the saltwater intrusion in the Mississippi River threatening New Orleans' drinking water supply — and already impacting communities farther south. Read more
Army Corps boats construct a sill to prevent saltwater intrusion
Rave reviews for locally made Kernza goods, even amid market growing pains

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It takes more than a tasty product to create a market. Learn about how growers, businesses and consumers can work together to support clean-water crops like Kernza. Read more
A recently baked cinnamon apple Kernza muffin is split apart on a plate. A mug can be seen on the table just behind it.
What the Mississippi River needs from the new Farm Bill

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The Farm Bill accounts for hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of spending on programs that address nutrition, commodity crop production, farmland conservation, research and more. Read more
A pair of hands examining the roots of a small, green plant that has been pulled from an agricultural field.
How FMR's priorities for the Mississippi River fared in the 2023 session

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FMR made progress on every single one of its priorities this legislative session. Here's a roundup of everything that happened. Read more
A collage showing parts of five different photos, all from this legislative session: Two FMR staffers posing with fish postcards in the Capitol; an FMR staffer testifying at a May 1 hearing; A state senator posing with children following a hearing; legislators on a tour at the Forever Green Initiative facilities; printed papers with the FMR logo, shown with the Capitol building in the background.

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Upcoming Events

Thursday, August 21, 2025 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Pine Bend Bluffs Natural Area at the Flint Hills Resources property, Inver Grove Heights
Wednesday, August 27, 2025 - 5:00pm to 7:00pm
Wabasha Taproom, St. Paul
This school year
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