Area Farm & Ag Headlines

Monsanto Acquires Rosetta Green

Tuesday, March 5, 2013 - 9:57pm
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Monsanto Company today announced it has completed the purchase of substantially all of the assets, and assumption of certain liabilities, of Rosetta Green Ltd.

Rosetta Green develops improved plant traits for agriculture using RNA technology. Rosetta Green experts specialize in the identification and use of unique genes to guide key processes in major crops including corn, soybeans and cotton. The company was formed in 2010 and is based in Rehovot, Israel, at the heart of one of Israel's major science centers. The company's Israel operations will remain intact and all Rosetta Green...

Land O'Lakes 2012 Sales Results - Record Sales

Tuesday, February 26, 2013 - 3:18pm
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Via PR Newswire, it was reported that Land O'Lakes released its 2012 financial results, reporting record sales and net earnings of $14.1 billion and $241 million, respectively.

Not only this, but the company returned $113 million to its members for the fourth consecutive year of returning over $100 million to its members. Additionally, three of the business segments achieved record sales and the Crop Inputs segment had a record earnings in addition to record sales.

The strong results in 2012 continue a trend of exceptional performance. The years of 2007 to 2012 represent the...

DCP and ACRE Sign-Up Announced

Monday, February 25, 2013 - 2:58pm
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In a press release via the United State Department of Agriculture and the Farm Service Agency, Glenn Schafer, USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Acting State Executive Director, reminds producers that the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 extended the authorization of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill) for many Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) commodity, disaster, and conservation programs through 2013. FSA administers these programs.

The extended programs include, among others: the Direct and Counter-Cyclical Payment Program (DCP) and Average...

1st Annual Farmer Spring Break Conference

Thursday, February 21, 2013 - 11:31am
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Minnesota West Community & Technical College customized training will host a Farmer Spring Break Conference featuring Dr. Michael Swanson and Ed Usset on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on the Minnesota West Worthington Campus. There will be two breakout sessions in the morning and featured speakers in the afternoon. Registration costs $89 and includes morning breakout sessions, afternoon speakers, breakfast, lunch and afternoon coffee.

During the next few weeks, stay tuned to AM 730 KWOA as Radio Works ag broadcaster Sonja Langseth will be catching up with...

Farmer Volunteer Opportunity

Thursday, February 21, 2013 - 11:16am
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University of Minnesota Southwest Research and Outreach Center Integrated Pest Management Specialist Bruce Potter along with Ken Ostlie are seeking volunteers for a black cutworm pheromone trapping network across the southern half of Minnesota.

Involvement would include checking a trap on a daily basis for an approximate six-week period (depending on planting progress). If you are interested in participating, please contact Bruce with your name and the county where you would be willing to run a trap.

Results and cutting predictions will be posted weekly.

Contact...

Vilsack and Dayton visit MFU Office

Monday, February 18, 2013 - 8:45am
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A press release from the Minnesota Farmers Union, United States Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, alongside Governor Mark Dayton met with members on Saturday, February 16th at the Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) office. State Representatives Andrew Falk, and Rick Hansen, who are also MFU members, were in attendance as well.

At the meeting Secretary Vilsack recognized Minnesota and specifically Minnesota Farmers Union for their progressive work in agriculture, and informed MFU members on a federal perspective of current issues.

An issue of high priority for Secretary...

DNR Offers Invasive Species Training

Friday, February 15, 2013 - 11:37am
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is offering aquatic invasive species (AIS) training to owners of lake service provider businesses in Minnesota so they can legally work in the state’s waters.

For lake service providers that don’t already have permits, the DNR is offering a number of training sessions in the next several months. The schedule is available at http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/permits/lsp/lsp-ais-...

New MFN Farm Director

Monday, February 11, 2013 - 1:40pm
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On February 11th, the Minnesota Farm Network declared Emery Kleven as its new farm director.

Congratulations to Kleven as the second farm director at MFN during its 30 years of operation!

Kleven was previously the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) President, and also received the Monsanto Premier Harvest Broadcaster Award and the Nebraska Associated Press Spot News Award.

Forest Pest First Detector Volunteers Needed

Monday, February 11, 2013 - 11:26am
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ST. PAUL, Minn. (MDA) – Minnesota is looking for volunteers to join the “first detector” early warning system to help keep an eye out for new infestations of invasive pests. These volunteer “first detectors” make it more likely that infestations of emerald ash borer and other invasive tree pests will be found in early stages when they are easier to control.

Registration is now open for Forest Pest First Detector workshops to be held in February and March. The six one-day workshops will be conducted by experts with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), University of...

CHS Sentenced for Failure to Report Hazardous Substance

Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - 2:14pm
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In a press release via the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Montana, it was announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls, on January 22, 2013, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, Cenex Harvest States, Inc., (CHS Inc.) was fined $500,000 for failure to report a release of a hazardous substance. In addition, CHS will make a $50,000 payment to the Phillips County Rural

Fire Department as community service and pay a $400 special assessment.

In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kris A. McLean, the government stated it would...