Tag Archives: agriculture
Broadband Briefing: LightSquared vs GPS
Cross-posted from Blandin on Broadband blog, originally prepared for Southwest Regional Development Commission. LightSquared vs. GPS A new wireless start-up with Minnesota connections has been in the news lately with plans to provide a unique wireless-satellite communications network that could … Continue reading
The Junk Science of Ethanol-Food Price Pressure
With harvest wrapping up here in the Upper Midwest, I wanted to share this Op-Ed from Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture, Republican Bill Northey. It came out last spring, but is still timely this fall. Rising Food Prices: Don’t Blame Ethanol … Continue reading
Dairy Goodness at the Murray County Fair
Today is the opening of the 2011 Murray County Fair.  The booths are going up.  The 4-H kids are showing their kids (and bunnies and horses and hogs).  The Milk Producers have the Dairy stand turning out chocolate (and raspberry and strawberry) … Continue reading
Food Check-Out Week Benefits Local Food Shelf, and many others
The Cottonwood County, Minnesota, Farm Bureau is teaming up with the local Hy-Vee grocery store in Windom, MN, for a bit of food fun benefiting the local food shelf. Â The Cottonwood County Citizen reports: At 10 a.m. [Monday], teams from … Continue reading
Grassroots Engagement With Social Media
During a fast-paced presentation, rancher Jeff Fowle and organic dairy farmer Emily Zweber outlined how they have used social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, blogs, YouTube and LinkedIn to connect with non-farmers. Both strongly emphasized the importance of the “human element” and the need to be genuine when using social media or else any attempts are destined to fail…. Continue reading
Over-regulation: "a clear and present danger"?
The Red River Farm Network weekly newsletter highlights some of their coverage from the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting in Atlanta this week. I’m a local Farm Bureau member, not because I farm, but because I live in a … Continue reading
Buy Ag Land? They ain't making any more of it
An interesting news bit from the Red River Farm Network‘s FarmNetNews newsletter: Land Values Called Unbelievable — The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City says farmland values in the Plains increased in the third quarter due to generally rising farm … Continue reading
Rural Broadband: Jobs and Services
Written Remarks for Presentation to Murray County (MN) Farm Bureau, 27 July 2010 Just five years ago, most Americans accessed the internet on dial-up modems. Today, about 2/3 of the nation uses broadband service—high speed internet that lets you download … Continue reading
More on '08 Income Growth
Short note:  The Daily Yonder today (“2008 Incomes Surged in Farm Counties“) picks up on the BEA personal income figures I wrote about 2 weeks ago (“PCI UP IN SW MN“) when they were released. Of the fastest growing 400 counties, 364 … Continue reading
Farm Income drops in 2009
median net farm income for group of MN producers $33k in 2009, down from $91k in 2008. Continue reading
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