Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture's plan to purchase up to $50 million of pork products which will be donated to child nutrition and other domestic food assistance programs.

Due to the cool, wet spring, weight restrictions are being imposed for the maximum period of eight weeks.

Migrating ducks, geese and swans were provided more resting and feeding areas, combined with less human disturbance, during their stop-over on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge during the fall of 2007.

If every car in America would use a 10 percent blend of ethanol for one week, the amount of greenhouse gases produced in the United States would be reduced by nearly 1.3 billion pounds.

The emergency funding will be used to depopulate known tuberculosis-affected cattle herds, which is crucial to prevent the spread of the disease and to indemnify producers.

Minnesota’s agricultural roots run deep. Agriculture represents roughly 20 percent of Minnesota’s economy and supports more than 400,000 jobs statewide in industries as diverse as manufacturing, transportation, wholesale and retail trade, and real estate.

Since its establishment, the MAELC has provided more than $1.7 million in competitive grants, scholarships, sponsored projects and awards.

Farmers, ranchers and rural small businesses have new opportunities to install energy efficiency upgrades and new renewable energy systems.

Improved disease resistance, emergence, stalk strength and other genetic advances are giving growers better hybrid choices for continuous corn.

The American Jersey Cattle Association, in tandem with animal ID leader Allflex, today announced a campaign to record the 100,000th Registered Jersey identified by double-matching approved ear tags during 2008.

Total USDA expenditures are estimated at $95 billion in FY 2009, which is approximately the same level as FY 2008. Roughly 76 percent of expenditures, or $72 billion in 2009, will be for mandatory programs that provide services required by law, which include many of the nutrition assistance, commodity, export promotion and conservation programs.

The newly detected beef herd was tested because of its proximity to an operation that tested positive for bovine TB in 2005. The Roseau County herd tested negative in 2005 and 2006 but during a third round of testing earlier this month, two animals tested suspect for bovine TB.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that for the first time in the 74-year history of the brucellosis program, all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have simultaneously achieved Class Free status. Texas is the last and final state to be declared brucellosis free.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is alerting farmers about the possibility of purchasing illegal small grains seed this spring.

Farmers are adopting best management practices in record numbers, according to a survey just released by the Conservation Technology Information Center and The Fertilizer Institute. The survey reached slightly less than 2,000 farmers nationwide to gain a better understanding of environmental management measures on U.S. farms and barriers to adoption. The respondents represent 2.5 million acres of farmed cropland.

"This theme should give us much to debate regarding how the U.S. pork industry can be accountable to its customer’s desires, while building a trust relationship and doing so in a sustainable manner," said Lynn Harrison, National Pork Board president.

Former North Dakota Gov. Ed Schafer was approved by unanimous consent by the U.S. Senate as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"With the passage of this legislation, eligible producers who suffered drought or flood losses in 2007 can benefit from the disaster program," said Minnesota FSA State Executive Director Perry Aasness.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is seeking candidates to replace 18 vacant positions on five commodity research and promotion council boards. Candidates will be selected through mail ballot elections to be held in March.