ST. PAUL, MN – Minnesota farmers who want to add safety equipment to their on-farm grain storage facilities can now apply for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) new Grain Storage Facility Safety Cost-Share program. The program reimburses up to 75% of the cost to buy, ship, and install eligible safety equipment for on-farm grain bins or silos. The program will pay … [Read more...]
Overall farmer health
By Emily Krekelberg U of M Extension Educator, Farm Safety and Health Farmers have always had to cope with a long list of stressors. Now more than ever, it is critical that we think about and discuss the need for mental and overall well-being in farming and across agriculture as a whole. A key to health and wellness is intentional well-being. Think of your overall … [Read more...]
Funding available for sustainable agriculture projects $200,000 in grants available for farmers to test new ideas
ST. PAUL, MN — Farmers and Minnesota nonprofit and educational organizations focused on testing new ideas in sustainable agriculture are encouraged to apply for a Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration (SustAg) Grant by 4 p.m. Thursday, December 10, 2020. SustAg grant projects explore farm profitability, energy efficiency, and environmental benefits of sustainable agriculture … [Read more...]
Feedyard mechanic shop It’s much safer when it’s organized
Practicing good housekeeping and organization in a feedyard mechanic shop can not only help save time but may significantly improve overall shop safety. Identifying feedyard safety principles is one of the aims of Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (CS-CASH). This University of Nebraska Medical Center group (www.unmc.edu/publichealth/feedyard/) is … [Read more...]
Safety and health for youth in agriculture
By Emily Krekelberg U of M Extension Educator, Farm Safety and Health The farm is a great place to raise kids, but it’s also dangerous. About one-third of all farm accidents involve children. Prevent your child from becoming a statistic: make sure they understand on-farm hazards, only give them age-appropriate tasks, and make sure they are supervised. Many of the everyday … [Read more...]
3 Cricketeers: An emerging form of urban agriculture
National FFA Officer Candidate Add in the butter, scramble the eggs, pour in the sugar, don’t forget to add the cricket flour, and of course the — wait…crickets? In BROWNIES? Whether the idea of crickets in your brownies excites you or sends tingles down your spine, it’s a real food. Crickets likely aren’t the first thing we think of when we talk about agriculture, but … [Read more...]
Thank a farmer
By Connor Wingert Most of us sit at the dinner table with family or go out to our favorite restaurant and enjoy having fresh foods like steak, burgers, or maybe vegetables. Or maybe you like fresh fruits like grapes, apples, or other types of fruit, maybe you favor some frozen foods like pizza. But how many of us actually know where these foods come from? It doesn’t matter if … [Read more...]
A career worth celebrating today and every day
By Maddie Smith National FFA Officer Candidate September 17, 2020: National Teach Ag Day. It’s a day to recognize and celebrate our educators who work hard in the classroom. It’s a day to encourage potential teachers to take the next step towards a career in teaching. It’s an effort to recruit and retain diverse and quality ag teachers who strengthen our youth, industry, and … [Read more...]
The ratio for career success through higher education
By Maddie Smith National FFA Officer Candidate Think about your senior year of high school. As graduation approaches, what is the one thing most people talk about? Aside from senior pranks and graduation parties, most high school students are probably worrying about what’s next. For me, it hasn’t been too long since I was a high school senior. Two of the biggest things I … [Read more...]
The community impact of agricultural education
By Maddie Smith National FFA Officer Candidate When we talk about education, we usually think about the students and teachers, but what about the community? How do we make classroom content applicable to the “real world”? What does it take to promote a town’s economy and culture? Can certain classes make a difference? Yes — certain classes can make a difference! … [Read more...]