State research offers fresh look at a troubled Minnesota River
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency recently released a series of reports, studies and plans addressing water contamination in the Minnesota River, the biggest tributary to the Mississippi in our state. It looks like the river is in need of some big changes if we're to meet our state's water quality goals. >>
Attack of the killer... algae?
A destructive storm can have a silver lining; Hurricane Barry seems to have lessened the Gulf of Mexico's dead zone. But this year's algae blooms are still hurting Minnesota's waterways. >>
NPR: As climate changes, taxpayers will shoulder larger U.S. payouts to farmers
A recent National Public Radio story highlighted the risks that climate change may pose to both farm operations and Americans' pocketbooks in the years to come. >>
Listen: Kernza's continuous cover
What is Kernza and why do some experts think it's such a big part of Minnesota's farming future? In the Land Stewardship Project's Ear to the Ground podcast, learn more from the people working to advance this exciting new crop. >>
Self-inflicted brain drain at USDA threatens farm economy
Leaders at the U.S. Department of Agriculture are plowing forward with the relocation of two major research agencies, a move that threatens to push out hundreds of career staffers and undermine scientific inquiry. The country can't afford this setback at a time when the farm economy is threatened from all sides and clear analysis of these threats is paramount. >>
Downstream damage: how the Midwest kills fish in the Gulf of Mexico
Scientists predict the formation of an enormous dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico this summer, and some of the blame lies right here in Minnesota. Find out what links us to an ocean half a continent away, and how we can help. >>
Legislative Water Commission revived with a new name
Last month, we lamented one of the more unusual results of the 2019 Legislative session: The administrative purgatory of the Legislative Water Commission. This month, we’ve got some great news! >>
MN's groundbreaking Groundwater Protection Rule goes into effect
After decades of delay, Minnesota’s Groundwater Protection Rule aims to protect public health by addressing fertilizer contamination in groundwater. This is the first time our state has exercised its regulatory authority over cropland agriculture to protect water quality. >>
FMR at AgroEcology Summit
Join us at lovely Willow Lake Farm for "Butterflies, Bluegreens, Kilowatts & Calories," August 16-17. >>
Wall Street Journal: The world’s appetite is threatening the Mississippi River
Early this month, the Wall Street Journal published a fascinating overview of the agricultural runoff challenges facing the length of the Mississippi River. And satellite images of the Upper Midwest in the Washington Post illustrate how this wet spring spells trouble for farmers and for the river. >>