Frederickson discusses challenges facing 2010 state legislative session.

It has been an eventful 2009 for farmers and agribusinesses, and there’s no sign of things slowing down in 2010 or beyond.  

With that in mind, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is inviting local farmers and others in agriculture to share their thoughts on key issues during a listening session with Deputy Commissioner Jim Boerboom on Wednesday, Dec. 16, in Redwood Falls.

Rep. Collin Peterson was one of 39 Democrats who voted against the bill, but that doesn’t mean he is against health care reform.

“We need health care reform and we need to control and reduce health care costs – I know it and most Minnesotans know it,” said Peterson in a recent press release. "I believe we can do these things, but so far, both parties have put politics ahead of bipartisanship."

A new phone-based service is now available for Minnesotans who think they may have the flu. Nurses evaluate the health concerns of callers and discuss treatment options, using consistent criteria to determine which treatment option is most appropriate for each individual. Possible treatment options can include rest and fluids at home, a prescription for an antiviral medication, or medical evaluation in a clinic or hospital.

“People cannot get this flu from eating pork or pork products. Pork is safe to eat," said USDA secretary Tom Vilsack in a recent press release.

That, said Cindy Cunningham of the National Pork Board, has never been the case, despite a confirmation earlier this week of three pigs having been discovered to have H1N1.

Agriculture is a diverse and complex topic.
It goes well beyond planting dates and weather.
Agriculture is fraught with land use issues, environmental concerns, legal wrangling and, of course, ever mounting legislation on local, state and national levels, which all impact the bottom line and a producer’s ability to make profit.

Some art is meant for museums, to be appreciated by generations of viewers.
Other art is for one person, for the here and now. If the rest of the world notices, that’s something separate.
When Agnes Johan-neck’s mother, Yvonne Samyn, died in June, Agnes felt a need to do something about it, something that preferably involved paint brushes

Cygnus Business Media, Inc. located in Fort Atkinson, Wis., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Aug. 3 – one day prior to its local farm exposition, Farmfest, open-ed its three-day show.

Randall McDaniel took the podium, and the crowd inside Fawcett Stadium went silent. After a few seconds, he finally mustered something from his mouth. “Wow.” It’s no surprise that McDaniel, he of the 202 consecutive starts and 12 straight Pro Bowls, was uneasy in the Pro Football Hall of Fame spotlight.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Randall McDaniel used speed, strength and tenacity to become one of the best offensive guards ever.

 Three and a half years in the making, Highwater Ethanol, LLC, of Lamberton received its first shipments of corn recently to begin full production. Shortly after the grain is in place, the new $110 million Fagen constructed facility is going online, kicking out an estimated 175,000 gallons of corn-based ethanol each day.

The Minnesota Biodiesel Pull-Off, sponsored by Farmfest and the Minnesota Soybean Re-search and Promotion Council, is scheduled to be held tomorrow in Redwood Falls at the Redwood County Fairgrounds.

For three days starting tomorrow, the Gilfillan Estate between Redwood Falls and Morgan is once again going to be the site for Farmfest – the largest agriculturally-focused exposition in Minnesota.

Senate Dist. 21 DFL will host its 5th Annual Potluck/Picnic & Sweet Corn Feed 5:00 p.m. on August 4th at the Janet Marti / Ted Suss Farm following the FarmFest AG FORUM.

The Redwood Falls Police Department and the Redwood Falls Fire Department were called to the report of a one-vehicle crash Thursday at 5:45 a.m. on Edgewood Drive.