Farm & Agricultural News Headlines

Former ND Senator Tom Campbell appointed as U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development state director
Former North Dakota Republican state senator Tom Campbell has been appointed as the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development state director. Campbell, who helped build his family's potato farming business near Grafton and has experience in real estate and banking, served in the state Senate from 2013 to 2018 an...
May 07, 2025

Feds drop case: South Dakota ranching family cleared of criminal charges in decades-old land battle
A South Dakota farming and ranching family has had their criminal charges dropped by the Trump administration. Charles and Heather Maude were in D.C. for the announcement on Wednesday. The family was alerted by the U.S. Forest Service that fencing on their property blocked access to the Buffalo gap national grasslands....
May 05, 2025
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North Dakota Farmers Union president Mark Watne stepping down
Mark Watne has announced he will not seek a thirteenth term as North Dakota Farmers Union president after leading the organization since 2013. During his tenure, Watne also headed Farmers Union Insurance and Farmers Union Service Association. In a written statement, he spoke about the importance of developing new leade...
May 02, 2025

Dry weather benefits North Dakota calving season
North Dakota's relatively snow-free winter has helped reduce stress during calving season despite raising drought concerns, according to Monica Fitterer, NDSU Extension agent for Kidder County. "This year's calving season has been pretty nice. We didn't have a lot of storms," said Fitterer. The state's calvin...
May 01, 2025
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North Dakota farmers concerned about Kennedy's anti-seed oil campaign
North Dakota farmers are feeling a sense of unease about Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" movement, which targets seed oils like sunflower and canola oils-key agricultural products in the state. During a Fargo roundtable with Agriculture Secretary Brook Rollins last w...
Apr 29, 2025
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Organic cropland acres up 80% over the last decade
If you're seeing more organic products on store shelves, you're right. Government figures show certified organic farming has boomed nationwide over the last decade. From 2011 to 2021, certified organic cropland acres jumped nearly 80 percent, with the number of organic farms also rising sharply. "Organic" mea...
Apr 28, 2025

North Dakota canola acreage declining for 2025
North Dakota canola planting is expected to decrease this spring after March price drops prompted farmers to switch crops. U.S. Canola Association President Tim Mickelson reports some regions may see 25% reductions despite recent price recovery from $600 to $680 per ton. The USDA forecasts 2.56 million acres nationwide...
Apr 28, 2025
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New North Dakota law to support animal agriculture infrastructure
North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong has signed Senate Bill 2177, which redirects a portion of state sales and use taxes from animal agriculture development to fund local infrastructure projects. The legislation, which passed both the House and Senate, will take effect August 1 of this year. Brenda Elmer, Executive Di...
Apr 24, 2025
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USDA Secretary Rollins addresses North Dakota farm groups amid rural concerns
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins met with farm groups during a roundtable discussion at NDSU yesterday (Tuesday). Matt Perdue of the North Dakota Farmers Union expressed concerns about USDA staff cuts affecting farmers' access to federal loans, noting a dramatic increase in farm loan webinar attendance from 17...
Apr 23, 2025

Forum addresses nitrogen management challenges in Minnesota
Minnesota's fifth annual Ag-Urban Partnership Forum brought together 60 experts Tuesday to discuss nitrogen management in agriculture. University of Minnesota educator Brad Carlson explained that most nitrogen loss occurs when soil organic matter releases nitrogen after harvest, not from fertilizer misapplication. Nort...
Apr 23, 2025

Adding solar panels could increase farmers' profit
A new study offers a potential financial boost for struggling farmers. Researcher Jake Stid, analyzing 25 years of California farm data, found that integrating small solar panel arrays onto parts of their land makes farmers more financially secure per acre. His research, published in Nature Sustainability, shows this a...
Apr 22, 2025

Farm labor relief on the way
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has identified easing restrictions for noncitizen farmworkers as a critical priority amid nationwide labor shortages. The Trump administration aims to finalize more lenient H-2A visa program guidelines before harvest season. President Trump recently indicated he may relax immigratio...
Apr 22, 2025

Massive dairy farm proposal opens for public comment in North Dakota
North Dakota's Department of Environmental Quality has opened public comments until June 2nd on Riverview Dairy's proposed 25,000-cow operation in Traill County. If approved, "Herberg Dairy" would become the state's largest dairy farm, requiring 700,000 gallons of water daily and producing 170,000 gallons of ...
Apr 22, 2025

State officials unsure if farm bailouts will save farmers from effects of global trade disruptions
Concerns about how tariffs will affect farmers have been ramping up through the month of April. Minnesota State Auditor Julie Blaha joined officials from five other states on Wednesday, warning that the new 10% tariffs on all imports has the potential to devastate farmers as countries retaliate. Blaha cautioned that th...
Apr 22, 2025

$30 million for large agriculture developments approved by North Dakota Senate
The North Dakota Senate approved a bill with a $30 million incentive funding package for large agricultural developments on Wednesday, including an emergency clause to make it effectively immediately after the governor signs it, instead of in August. The bill initially passed in late March, but went through reconsidera...
Apr 22, 2025

USDA terminates $3.1 billion Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, leaving farmers unreimbursed
The USDA has terminated its $3.1 billion Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, forcing Wisconsin organizations to cancel farmer contracts for sustainable practices. Secretary Brooke Rollins cited excessive administrative fees as the reason. The program has been rebranded as Advancing Markets for Producers...
Apr 17, 2025

How to increase corn yields by 10 bushels per acre
Many farmers look for a fix-all, whether it is a product or practice, that can give them higher corn yields. Randy Hughes is a fourth generation corn and soybean grower in NE Nebraska, and has been experimenting with fertility for a while now. Hughes is now working with professionals at the national level. He has been ...
Apr 17, 2025

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brook Rollins coming to Fargo
Agriculture Secretary Brook Rollins will be in Fargo on Tuesday, April 22nd. Senator John Hoeven announced this on Wednesday, and Rollins is looking to get feedback from farmers and ranchers as work continues on the farm bill. She expects to learn about North Dakota's leadership in precision agriculture technology. Rol...
Apr 17, 2025

Farmers in the Dakotas seeing dry planting conditions, some regions drier than 2012 drought
South Dakota farmers are planting into dry soil conditions, with the entire state in moderate to extreme drought as of April 1. Recent moisture has helped, but subsoil conditions remain concerning, with 83% of South Dakota, 66% of North Dakota, and 49% of Minnesota reporting short or very short moisture. South Dakota f...
Apr 15, 2025

North Dakota passes bill protecting pesticide manufacturers from "frivolous" lawsuits
North Dakota's Senate passed House Bill 1318 Monday with a 29-18 vote, providing legal shields for pesticide manufacturers. The bill sparked a small protest outside the Capitol building before the vote. The amended bill returns to the House for approval. The legislation prevents courts from removing properly labeled pr...
Apr 15, 2025
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