“I told myself not to get my hopes up,” 17-year-old Maddie Smith said about her April trip to the 4-H National Conference, “but I knew that I had a greater chance of making it if I applied than if I didn’t,” she laughed. The application process to be a delegate at the 4-H National Conference is rigorous and selective, but Maddie was up for the challenge. She has an aunt who … [Read more...]
Top Minnesota dairy farms honored for superior cow care Herds with lowest somatic cell count are recognized
ST. PAUL, MN – Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson today released the annual list of top Minnesota dairy herds with low somatic cell counts (SCC). Somatic cell count is a key indicator of milk quality – a lower SCC count is better for cheese production and a longer shelf life for bottled milk. In honor of June Dairy Month, 112 Minnesota dairy farms are being … [Read more...]
Citizens advocate for EIS on proposed hog feedlot in Fillmore County
The informational meeting held by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) regarding the proposed Catalpa LLC hog facility drew a large crowd to the Mabel Community Center Tuesday evening, June 19. More than an hour before the meeting was to begin, speakers demanding an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), a substantially more in-depth review, spoke to the crowd in front … [Read more...]
MDA Announces Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Grant awardees $300,000 in grant funds are awarded to 29 projects
ST. PAUL, MN: The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is awarding a new grant program aimed at combating noxious weeds around the state. Twenty-nine projects will split $300,000 though the Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Grant. The money, which is given to local municipalities, counties, and Soil and Water Conservation Districts, will be used to purchase equipment and … [Read more...]
USDA resumes continuous conservation reserve program enrollment
As part of a 33-year effort to protect sensitive lands and improve water quality and wildlife habitat on private lands, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will resume accepting applications for the voluntary Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Eligible farmers, ranchers, and private landowners can sign up at their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office between June 4 and … [Read more...]