Agriculture

Individual grants will range from $1,500 to $150,000. Eligible applicants include farmers and livestock producers and organizations that train or support farmers.

Input costs are rising due to the trade war and the Iran war. Eight farmers have already filed for bankruptcy this year, double the amount for the entire year of 2024.

Ammonia is the key to nitrogen fertilizer, and almost all ammonia in Minnesota, nearly 1 million tons per year, is imported from Gulf Coast states and internationally.

The bill seeks to integrate wild rice waters into the ag department's pesticide management plan, developing better practices to monitor pesticide distribution, use and disposal.

Management would occur by using a mating disruption product that stops males from finding females. A virtual informational public meeting will be 6-7 p.m. March 24, 2026.

Author Rep. John Burkel, R-Badger, described the bill as “straightforward, farmer-focused,” with the goal of more timely payouts after wild animals cause damage.

The bill's author said Minnesota farmers are in a similar position to those during the 1980s farm crisis, which is why it is essential for the program to continue.

The chickens are raised through rotational grazing, limiting harmful elements from reaching local waterways. The co-op is small and there's a waiting list, and Johnson said she likes it that way.

Of the $12 billion announced by the USDA for a new relief package for farmers, $11 billion will go to commodity crop producers, and $1 billion will go to fruit and vegetable producers.

Concentrated power in agriculture is a consistent rallying cry for small farmers, who say a handful of food producers are given too much leeway to control the marketplace.