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Ag and Extension

Agriculture department reopens enrollment for dairy program

ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has reopened enrollment in its Dairy Assistance, Investment and Relief Initiative (DAIRI) program for eligible milk producers through the end of the year. Producers who have locked in five years of coverage through the USDA Farm Service Agency’s Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program and who have not already successfully enrolled in the DAIRI program can apply. The state ag department has already issued $3.4 million to about 1,800 producers, representing more than 1,550 farms in Minnesota, through the program in its first round of ...

How silage gas buildups can turn deadly

MILLERVILLE — Two farm families in Millerville have filled their silos with corn and grain countless times, but on Dec. 21, a problem with a sealed silo led to tragedy. Inside the silos, which were full of moisture, shelled corn — or silage — started to ferment and produce carbon dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, gasses which are heavier than air and settle. Longtime animal science and agriculture expert Charlie Stoltenow with North Dakota State University Extension explains gases can crowd out oxygen and suffocate people who end up in the bottom of sealed silos where it ...

Worthington farmer to lead American Soybean Association

ST. LOUIS — Bill Gordon’s big moment has finally arrived. Fifteen years after he became a state director in his home state of Minnesota, Nobles County farmer Bill Gordon was elevated to president of the American Soybean Association (ASA) Thursday during the organization’s December board meeting. “This is very rewarding,” Gordon says. “It’s been a long journey since 2004 and I’m excited for this opportunity. 2020 is going to be an exciting year.” Gordon, a Worthington native, is the sixth Minnesota farmer to serve as ASA president and the 82nd in the advocacy ...

Female farmers get inside scoop on agricultural markets

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Beth Didier farms with her husband and father-in-law near Spiritwood, North Dakota, about 80 miles west of Fargo. They grow several thousand acres of soybeans, corn and wheat. Didier works full time off the farm, but as her father-in-law moves into retirement, she’s taking a larger role in the farming operation. Understanding when to sell crops is critical, she said. “Especially in a year like this when prices aren’t great, yields aren’t great, and so you have to sell it at the best price you can so that you can actually pay the bills,” said ...

Raising an amaryllis

There are some true treasures of the Christmas season which light up our house with color each year. They can also be raised to bloom throughout the winter months as well — amaryllis. These are often for sale now and will disappear from the store shelves soon after Christmas has come and gone. If you have room to keep them going and have a place to put them out in your garden during the summer, you can have winter color through the whole winter. It just takes a little know how on how to do it. The instructions on a new amaryllis is quite simple. You plant it in a pot with some ...

Strategic Farming — a new webinar series offered

University of Minnesota Extension is launching the five-part Strategic Farming — Optimizing Management for 2020 webinar series beginning Dec. 19. This webinar series is an opportunity for farmers to gather and learn about research-based, crop production information throughout the year. The primary target audience for the series is farmers, but all interested agricultural professionals, agency personnel, educators, etc. are welcome to participate. There is no fee to join the webinars, but you will need to register for each “live” webinar individually to join the discussion. Join ...