News

Scientists take side on antibiotics (07-19-10) -- An in-depth House subcommittee hearing last week shed new light on the controversy surrounding antibiotic resistance and concerns about a potential link to the use of subtherapeutic antibiotics in food animal production.

Drop in grain shipments on Mississippi linked to more domestic use; experts also cite age of locks (07-16-10) -- Historical statistics released by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers show usage of the lock and dam system on the upper Mississippi River has changed over the years, but the system continues to be heavily used for the movement of commodities, commercial vessels and recreational boats.

CHS Foundation Awards $75,000 in Scholarships (07-16-10) -- St. Paul, MN—The CHS Foundation has awarded 75 $1,000 scholarships to college students studying agriculture. 50 high school graduated seniors and 25 two-year college students were selected from the two separate scholarship programs.

Wheat hit with rust, scab (07-12-10) -- Stripe rust, a crop disease seldom found in Minnesota and North Dakota, has popped in wheat fields in northwestern Minnesota and elsewhere.

A Somber Harvest (07-12-10) -- RUSSELL, KS -- Another harvest day was half over, and Wade Schultze was following a similar routine as a semitrailer neared empty.

OSHA probes deadly Kansas elevator collapse (06-25-10) -- TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Federal officials have sent investigators to the site of a grain elevator collapse that killed two workers in central Kansas.

Two dead after Russell, KS grain elevator collapse (06-24-10) -- RUSSELL, KS – The bodies of two workers have been pulled from the grain after part of an elevator collapsed Thursday afternoon.

CEO of CHS steps aside after 10 years (06-22-10) -- John Johnson, an architect of the merger that created the country's largest cooperative, CHS Inc., is retiring after 10 years as its chief executive.

Rosemount, Oklahoma firms fined in 2 deaths (06-10-10) -- A Rosemount fertilizer plant and an Oklahoma firm have been cited for serious violations in connection with the work-related deaths of two truck drivers exposed to anhydrous ammonia during an unloading accident last November.

AGP project keeps more than bragging rights in Dawson (06-04-10) -- Dawson has held bragging rights as the home to the first farmer-owned soybean processing plant in Minnesota since the Tri-County Soy Bean Cooperative Association began operating in November 1951.

South Dakota Wheat Growers Assoc. fined $1.6M after fatality (06-04-10) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has fined the South Dakota Wheat Growers Association of Aberdeen, S.D., more than $1.6 million following the Dec. 22, 2009, death of a worker at the company's McLaughlin, S.D., grain handling operation.

OSHA issues citations in Farmington grain bin accident (05-13-10) -- The owners of a Farmington grain elevator that was the scene of a dramatic rescue in February are facing seven citations and fines totaling $7,750.

Elevators Expanding Capacity (05-11-10) -- NEW ROCKFORD, N.D. — It’ll now be mid-July before Gavilon Grain L.L.C. opens the doors for its new grain terminal in New Rockford, N.D. The facility sets a new high-water mark for loading capacity at 120 cars, and another challenge for existing local elevators.

Farm profits fall from record levels (05-11-10) -- Farmers’ profits fell by more than half last year in North Dakota, and by nearly two-thirds in Minnesota.

Rail customers meet on Capitol Hill to urge passage of rail reform legislation (05-06-10) -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Freight rail customers from across the country, concerned with how the abusive pricing power being exerted by the railroad monopoly is hurting the U.S. economy and costing American jobs, stepped up pressure on Congress today to pass rail reform legislation.

Joy about soy in Farmington (05-05-10) -- Spill the beans. Count the beans. Study the beans. Most of all, celebrate the beans.

Rainforest Action Network Slams Cargill (05-05-10) -- Cargill Inc.'s Indonesian palm oil business is under fire from an environmental advocacy group for allegedly using practices linked to rain forest destruction.

Superweeds may change farming (05-05-10) -- DYERSBURG, TENN. -- Just as the heavy use of antibiotics contributed to the rise of drug-resistant supergerms, American farmers' near-ubiquitous use of the weedkiller Roundup has led to the rapid growth of tenacious new superweeds.

Corn smut? Tastes great and good for you, too (04-30-10) -- IRAPUATO, Mexico - It's now an established scientific fact: Smut is GOOD for you. Corn smut, that is.

Wanted: Young Blood - Area Grain Elevators Seek New Generation of Managers (04-27-10) -- FINLEY, N.D. — David Fiebiger loves his job and hopes to do it a long time.

Cargill Files STB Rail Fuel Surcharge Complaint Against BNSF (04-23-10) -- On April 19, Cargill, Inc. filed a rate complaint with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) alleging that BNSF Railway fuel surcharges over-recover its incremental fuel consumption costs and that BNSF is using these fuel surcharges to extract excess profits.

Minnesota farmers’ income drops a whopping 63% (04-16-10) -- Farm income in Minnesota dropped a whopping 63 percent in 2009 -- one of the largest declines in recent history -- with pork, beef and dairy producers getting hammered particularly hard, according to a report released Thursday.

Ethanol steps up its game (04-16-10) -- WASHINGTON - Is corn-based ethanol fuel the wave of the future, creating domestic jobs and vital to the nation’s energy supply? Or is it a taxpayer boondoggle responsible for higher food prices?

Firefighters battle blaze at SD grain elevator (04-14-10) -- TWIN BROOKS, S.D. (AP) - Authorities say no one was injured in a fire at a grain elevator in northeast South Dakota but damage appears to be extensive.

Federal money boosts broadband initiatives in rural Minnesota (04-08-10) -- Broadband is coming to rural Minnesota.

CHS owners share of $225 million (04-07-10) -- St. Paul – CHS Inc. owners in 48 states will share in an up to $225 million disbursement during 2010 as a result of the leading energy and grain-based food based company's strong fiscal 2009 earnings.

NDSU Extension Grain Drying Expert Ken Hellevang: Wet, stored grain will deteriorate rapidly in spring (04-02-10) -- The storability of grain depends on grain quality, moisture content and temperature.

Elevator Approves Merger (03-31-10) -- A nearly unanimous vote last week Tuesday to merge the Farmer's Co-op Grain Elevator of Britton with the Wheaton Dumont Co-op Elevator based in Wheaton, MN, could have a long-lasting effect on the Marshall County area.

Bin Collapse Cleanup (03-30-10) -- Cleanup has begun at the site of a grain bin that collapsed last Thursday morning (3/25/10) at SunPrairie Grain of Minot.

Farmers and related businesses hope to see good yields, better price stability (03-24-10) -- Minnesota farmers will remember 2009 as a rollercoaster year. Bumper crops of corn and soybeans set yield records while low milk prices left some dairy producers struggling to survive.

Purdue University AG Safety and Health Program 2009 Grain Entrapment Report (03-23-10) -- Purdue University’s Agricultural Safety & Health Program has been documenting grain entrapment(1) cases since 1978.

Rising farmland values bring push for tax relief (03-22-10) -- State lawmakers and agriculture lobbists are debating how to deal with the escalating property tax bills that are hitting Minnesota farms.

Safe keeping: Quality of grain storage can weigh on profits (03-21-10) -- NASHUA - Billions of dollars could be in jeopardy on Iowa farms if producers don't monitor stored grain.

Jobs Bill SPECIAL REPORT: 2010 Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (03-19-10) -- HIRE Act ready for President's Signature; Includes hiring incentives, expensing extension

Midwestern farmers push for Cuban markets (03-15-10) -- WASHINGTON - Nearly a decade after then-Gov. Jesse Ventura met with Fidel Castro in Cuba, a new wave of Minnesota politicians is leading efforts to end travel and trade restrictions with the communist island nation.

Man dies working in southern Minnesota grain bin (03-04-10) -- A 49-year-old man was killed while working Thursday morning in a grain bin in southern Minnesota, authorities said.

Prospects for the U.S Farm Economy in 2010 (02-25-10) -- The following is from a presentation given at the 86th annual Agricultural Outlook Forum presented by Joseph W. Glauber, Chief Economist at the USDA.

Rail facility has chance to happen (02-24-10) -- A project of six years in the making now looks like it has a chance to become reality.

MGFA Elects Leadership for 2010 (02-17-10) -- The Minnesota Grain and Feed Association, which represents the country grain elevator and feed mill industry in Minnesota, elected its leadership for 2010 at the recent 103rd Annual Meeting, held in conjunction with the MGFA Annual Convention and Trade Show.

Time to Think About Grain Quality Again (02-16-10) -- Towards the end of February we typically begin to experience warmer weather and with that arises concerns related to the 2009 corn that came from the fields with low quality and high moisture.

Farmington silo rescue: Out of the corn, deep in trouble (02-05-10) -- A day after being trapped chest deep in a grain bin, Mark Malecha is knee deep in trouble with his employer and OSHA.

Man trapped in corn bin in Farmington (02-04-10) -- Emergency crews in Farmington were trying to rescue a man trapped in a corn silo Thursday afternoon.

Haiti food crop outlook appears desperate (commentary) (02-01-10) -- In a normal year, Haiti would now start preparing for the spring planting season, which ends in May. The spring crop usually produces 60% of the country's food.

Gottschalk brings dairy knowledge to Afghanistan (01-29-10) -- ROCHESTER, Minn. — Scott Gottschalk's belief in giving something back has put him in harm's way a time or few.

Antitrust probe of Monsanto heats up (01-15-10) -- The Justice Department has intensified its antitrust investigation into Monsanto Co., demanding internal documents that outline marketing tactics of the world’s biggest seed company.

Poor Mosaic results drag down profit at Cargill (01-15-10) -- Profit at Cargill Inc. -- global purveyor of salt, oils, hamburger, financial derivatives and a world of other products -- plunged nearly 60 percent in the second quarter of its fiscal year, largely on weak global demand for crop fertilizers.

MN Corn Growers Assn. Honors Policy Makers & Ethanol Producers (01-13-10) -- Shakopee, MN—Two ethanol pioneers and two members of the Minnesota Congressional delegation were honored by the Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) Monday night at their annual awards banquet, held in conjunction with the association’s annual meeting.

Minnesota’s yet-to-be harvested corn worth $200 million (01-08-10) -- LEOTA, Minn. (AP) -- As the snow piles up, an estimated 5 percent of Minnesota's corn crop remains to be harvested, worth about $200 million.

Appellate Decision Issued (01-04-10) -- WORTHINGTON, MN — A decision by the Minnesota Court of Appeals disappointed city leaders last week when appellate judges affirmed the decision made by Judge Jeffrey Flynn to grant summary judgment to New Vision Cooperative, dismissing the city’s claim regarding the grain elevator on 10th Street.

Economist says State’s ag economy is strong (12-31-09) -- ST. PAUL -- An economist for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture says the state's agriculture industry is healthy and strong.

Country Hedging Inc. Again Named to Futures Top 50 Brokers Listing (12-24-09) -- Inver Grove Heights, MN—Country Hedging Inc., commodity brokerage subsidiary of leading grains, energy and foods company CHS Inc. (NASDAQ: CHSCP), was once more included in Futures magazine’s annual Top 50 Brokers listing of leaders in the trading industry.

Benson City Council to Move Ahead With Demolition of Old Benson Market Grain Elevator (12-22-09) -- BENSON, Minn. -- The Benson Market grain elevator, once a hub of activity in Benson, is now an abandoned giant awaiting its fate.

Wheat Leaders Discuss Checkoff’s Importance (12-18-09) -- FERGUS FALLS, Minn. -- It was a small turnout at last week's wheat checkoff public hearing teleconference. In fact, of the dozen people attending the hearing at one of three teleconference sites, only one was a producer. The rest were either Minnesota Wheat Council members or staff of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture or Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers.

NGFA, Ag Organizations Voice Appreciation for Senate Committee Action on Bipartisan Senate Rail Reform Bill (12-18-09) -- WASHINGTON – The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) – the nation’s largest organization of rail shippers and receivers of grain, feed, feed ingredients and grain products – today joined 15 other national agricultural producer and agribusiness organizations in commending action by a key Senate committee on a significant rail reform bill.

A Business Recycled (12-15-09) -- A little over a year ago, AGSI Recycling partners John Schmitz and Dan Hauschild were jazzed to become the kings of plastic agricultural waste, transforming millions of tons of trashed silage bags, crop covers and hay bale wraps into neat, clean, plastic pellets for resale.

Challenging Harvest of 2009 Continues (12-10-09) -- Frigid temperatures have likely brought fall tillage and nitrogen application to a halt across southern Minnesota, but corn harvest remains unfinished.

Peterson is in thick of derivatives struggle (12-09-09) -- WASHINGTON - More than a year after a historic financial collapse nearly derailed the U.S. economy, Minnesota Democrat Collin Peterson has emerged as an unlikely player on Capitol Hill in crafting legislation to bring Wall Street to heel.

Practice Grain Bin Safety (12-02-09) -- Fargo, ND – Safety is vital when working around grain, North Dakota State University Extension Service agricultural engineer Ken Hellevang says.

U.S. Dept. of Labor Fines Temple Grain Elevators LLP of Wiley, CO $1.6 Million Following Teenage Worker’s Engulfment Death (11-30-09) -- Denver, CO—The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Wage and Hour Division together have fined Tempel Grain Elevators LLP of Wiley, CO, more than $1.6 million following the May 29 death of a teenage worker at the company's Haswell, CO, grain storage operation.

MGFA Submits Comments to MDA on Proposed Rule Changes to the Corn Check-off (11-25-09) -- The MGFA wishes to go on record in opposition to a change to Minnesota Rule 1570.0900, Administration of Promotion Orders, subpart 3 (B), subpart 5, subpart 5 (A) and subpart 5 (C).

Local Harvest Plows into Winter Due to Wet Weather (11-25-09) -- If the sun shines, Thanksgiving Day will find some Central Minnesota farmers out in the fields, rushing to bring in a late harvest.

Slow PNW grain export loading prompts BNSF embargo (11-25-09) -- CHICAGO, IL - Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) initiated a permit embargo for grain shipments to the U.S. Pacific Northwest effective Monday, Nov. 23, the railway said in a service advisory.

Propane supplies continue to be tight (11-23-09) -- Propane supplies continue to be tight in Minnesota and throughout the Corn Belt. The culprit is an unanticipated wet soybean crop and a wet corn crop that has stoked demand for propane used in mechanical grain dryers.

Part of SD town evacuated after chemical leak (11-19-09) -- BIG STONE CITY, S.D. - Residents of this northeastern South Dakota town who were evacuated after an anhydrous ammonia leak returned to their homes Thursday morning unharmed.

Ammonia leak investigation focusing on trucker training (11-19-09) -- A Rosemount fertilizer plant remained shut down Wednesday while investigators probed an industrial accident that killed an Oklahoma truck driver and critically injured another as they loaded anhydrous ammonia on Monday.

University of Minnesota reports increase in number of State’s farmers, lenders using debt mediation (11-09-09) -- ST. PAUL, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Extension Service reports that an increasing number of farmers and lenders are using mediation to resolve farm debt issues.

Sunny November weather may cure this season’s harvest headaches (11-09-09) -- Sometimes, a bad harvest means the crops are lousy. This year, the crops are fine; getting them harvested has been hard.

Harvesting between showers (11-04-09) -- SPRINGFIELD, Minn. -- One truck after another drove onto the scale to be weighed at Harvest Land Cooperative while on the other side of the complex, trucks waited in line to be filled with fertilizer.

BNSF Railroad: From Hill to Buffet (11-04-09) -- Warren Buffett made his biggest bet in the Internet age on the growth industry of the 19th century.

Emergency Declaration Request (11-04-09) -- The Minnesota Grain & Feed Association has requested Governor Pawlenty issue a declaration of emergency related to a temporary suspension of the hours-of-service rules.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. to Acquire Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Corporation (11-03-09) -- Forth Worth, TX / Omaha, NE - The boards of directors of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. & Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation today announced a definitive agreement for Berkshire Hathaway to acquire for $100 per share in cash & stock the remaining 77.4 percent of outstanding BNI shares not currently owned to increase its holdings to 100 percent.

Fire at Cenex Harvest States Grain Dryer (10-19-09) -- CROOKSTON, MN - A fire broke out around 3 p.m. Monday in a grain dryer at the Cenex Harvest States grain elevator on Highway 75 South on Crookston's southern edge.

Grain Elevator Fire Doused After Explosion (10-15-09) -- Pine Island, MN - Firefighters doused flames at a grain elevator this afternoon folowing an explosion that could be heard around town.

Cargill's quarterly profits drop 65% (10-14-09) -- Slumping fertilizer sales took another swipe at Cargill's profits this summer, cutting quarterly profits by 65 percent from a year ago, the company reported Tuesday.

GAO Report Poses Tough Questions for Ethanol (10-03-09) -- In a report that raises significant questions for the corn ethanol industry, the U.S. Government Accountability Office on Friday questioned the need for tax credits supporting the industry while urging Congress to consider broad effects on air, water and wildlife before expanding biofuel production.

Safety Alert - Explosions in Swine Confinement Barns While Pumping (10-02-09) -- There have been two explosions in Iowa in the last five days in swine confinement barns, with the cause still unknown. You may want to share this information with barn owners and managers and encourage them to be extra careful when pits are being pumped.

Getting the Grain on the Train (09-28-09) -- Erskine, MN – Capacity is king at the Erskine Grain Terminal in northwestern Minnesota. Dumping capacity, drying capacity, storage capacity and rail car capacity all combine there in good measure to help get the farmers’ grains from the field to market in an expedited manner.

Green Math: Measuring Environmental Impact (09-25-09) -- Shoppers soon will be able to buy everything from meat to moccasins based on a number that purports to tell them the product's environmental impact.

AGP Announces Major Improvement Project at its Dawson, MN Soy Processing Plant (09-22-09) -- OMAHA, NE – Ag Processing, Inc. (AGP), a cooperative, announced today that the company will be undertaking a multimillion dollar project at its Dawson, MN soy processing plant to improve operational efficiencies.

Ethanol Industry Solves New Problem with an Old Remedy (09-21-09) -- LUCAN, MINN. - Ethanol companies are looking back to the monasteries of ancient Europe for one possible solution to a troublesome production issue.

Beauty in the Boards (09-21-09) -- SUPERIOR, Wis. — Rising above St. Louis Bay, three massive wooden elevators hold millions of board feet of old-growth white pine, lasting remnants of a bygone America.

China Fires Back at U.S. Tire-Import Tariff Plan (09-14-09) -- BEIJING - China fired back against proposed tariffs on Chinese tires imported to the United States by announcing Sunday an anti-dumping and anti-subsidies investigation of U.S. auto parts and chicken products, state media reported.

‘Apostle of Wheat’ Borlaug had deep Minnesota roots (09-14-09) -- In the final days of a nearly three-year battle with lymphoma, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman Borlaug was asked by his daughter if he needed anything...

MGFA urges President Obama to Reject Section 421 Petition (09-11-09) -- The Minnesota Grain and Feed Association has urged President Obama to reject imposing tarrifs that may lead to retaliatory action by China that would adversely impact agricultural exports to China.

Despite its name, swine flu hasn’t infected any U.S. hogs (09-10-09) -- No pig in the United States has come down with swine flu, but some will by the end of the year in an outbreak expected to slap hog farmers with production losses amid an already difficult year, officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Thursday.

To the Rescue (08-07-09) -- The following story recently appeared in Progressive Farmer magazine about how the organization, Farm Rescue, helped out MGFA Vice President, Dave Reiffenberger & his wife, Shirley, with their spring planting.

Latest AI Detection Prompts Board of Health to Remind Producers of Need for Strict Biosecurity (08-05-09) -- With the recent report of avian influenza (AI) in a turkey flock in Meeker County, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health is reminding poultry producers and owners of backyard flocks to observe sound biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of AI.

Minnesota Elevator Gutted By Fire (07-20-09) -- Crookston, MN – Fire gutted the Crookston (MN) Bean Company early July 15.

Feed Industry Wants to Tweak HR 2749 (07-02-09) -- Owatonna, MN – The feed mill and feed ingredient industry is getting sucked into regulations being drafted in response to human food scares.

Lamberton Ethanol Plant Almost Ready (06-25-09) -- LAMBERTON, Minn. -- A new ethanol plant in Lamberton Township is completing construction and preparing to begin operations.

USDA Approves $25MM Loan Guarantee for SoyMor Biodiesel Plant in Albert Lea, MN to Re-Equip for Utilization of Multiple Feedstocks (06-24-09) -- Washington—Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced June 24 that USDA Rural Development has approved a $25 million loan to enable a Minnesota biodiesel facility to diversify its operations and significantly expand the production of advanced biofuels.

Wheat Speculators Singled Out (06-23-09) -- Blame the speculators.

MN Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation Elects Leadership for 2009-2010 Fiscal Year (06-15-09) -- At the June 11, 2009 Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation board of directors’ meeting, elections were held to elect the leadership for the upcoming fiscal year.

What triggered explosion that killed Waconia teen? (06-12-09) -- A cell phone or a portable radio are among possible triggers for a deadly propane explosion that killed a Waconia High School student, authorities said Thursday.

Teen Dies in Propane Blast at Waconia Farm Supply (06-11-09) -- A teenager was killed and another was injured when a propane tank exploded Wednesday at a busy, sprawling farm supply company in Waconia, just west of the Twin Cities.

Will the yield keep growing? (05-31-09) -- As farmers put the state’s 2009 corn crop into the ground this month, they expect to grow more corn per acre than last year. And if history is any guide, they will.

Low Milk Prices Spread Pain Across Dairy Industry (05-30-09) -- Frustrated with low milk prices, dairy farmers are selling cows for hamburger meat and threatening to dump milk into sewers. Many are burning through their life savings hoping to survive the slump, and others are exiting the business.

Highwater Ethanol Preparing for Move Into Its Operational Phase (05-29-09) -- Lamberton, MN - Highwater Ethanol LLC, located just west of Lamberton on U.S. Highway 14, is getting ready to move from its construction phase into an operational phase.

Recession, high costs hurt profits at Minnesota farms (05-27-09) -- Minnesota farmers earned less last year than they did the year before, according to a new University of Minnesota survey, as the recession, the steep price of land and feed and the spiraling cost of fertilizer batted away profits.

Brewster settles down after tumultuous night (05-26-09) -- BREWSTER — By Sunday morning, all appeared to be back to normal in the community of Brewster. There was little activity on the town’s streets — its residents probably catching up on their sleep after being evacuated the night before...

Elevator Receives Award Relating to Soybean Theft (05-25-09) -- MILBANK, S.D. (AP) - The Western Consolidated Cooperative elevator of Milbank has been awarded more than $400,000 in court in a case related to the theft of thousands of bushels of soybeans.

ADM adds milling capacity in Minneapolis (05-21-09) -- The Archer Daniels Midland Co. plans to expand the flour-milling capacity at its Nokomis processing plant at Hiawatha Avenue and E. 35th Street in Minneapolis.

Cooperation on Biotech Wheat (05-18-09) -- Wheat groups in the United States, Canada and Australia will cooperate on the synchronized commercialization of biotech wheat.

Cargill Follows Vision Set By Lincoln (05-11-09) -- "Lincoln defined a century ago the idea that America should provide an open field and a fair chance so that all can compete in the race of life." Warren Staley, retired CEO, Cargill Inc. Beyond ending slavery and advocating freedom for all mankind for all of the time, Abraham Lincoln was also an economic visionary. He envisioned a nation of free people rising to improve themselves.

More than one-third of state corn crop is planted (04-28-09) -- Farm field work is progressing across much of the state thanks to nearly ideal weather last week.

Swine flu outbreak takes toll on pork prices, hog firms (04-28-09) -- The hog industry leaped into damage control Monday as headlines around the world reflected fears of a pandemic popularly known as "swine flu" despite few connections to hogs or eating pork.

Get Rid of Ethanol Subsidies, State’s Auditor Says (04-17-09) -- Minnesota should get out of the business of subsidizing the state's ethanol industry, the Legislative Auditor's office said today.

Cargill profit plunges 68% for quarter in global slump (04-15-09) -- The dismal economy that has withered home values and ruined 401(k)s landed another blow on Tuesday when Cargill reported a 68 percent drop in profit for its third quarter.

Food Prices: The good, the bad, the ugly (04-12-09) -- Forecasting food prices at the grocery store is a lot like predicting the flood stages of the Red River of the North. A lot of data feeds into the equation, and the numbers are constantly changing.

Energy blamed more than ethanol for food prices (04-10-09) -- Ethanol bears some of the blame for last year's rising food prices, but oil and electricity bear more, according to a new congressional study of the food-versus-fuel debate.

Farmers’ Delay Decreases Mosaic Profit by 89% (04-08-09) -- Mosaic Co., North America's second-largest fertilizer maker, posted an 89 percent decline in fiscal third-quarter profit as farmers delayed purchases of phosphate and potash crop nutrients.

Farmers Reap Loss of Trust (04-03-09) -- Martinsburg, MO -- Like the railroad tracks that cut through the center of this quiet farm town, a Wall Street-style financial scandal is dividing many who live here. A trusted advisor delivered above-average returns to a growing number of clients for a few years until one day, almost without warning, the scheme collapsed, and some of the investors were jilted.

Minnesota ethanol plant explores using city wastewater (04-01-09) -- WINNEBAGO, Minn. — The city of Winnebago discharges a minimum of about 350,000 gallons of treated wastewater into the Blue Earth River each day. The ethanol plant just east of town uses up to 350,000 gallons of fresh groundwater daily to produce its fuel.

Corn Growers Association Fined for Acting as a PAC (03-30-09) -- The Minnesota Corn Growers Association paid an $8,000 fine earlier this month for acting as a political action committee, or PAC, without registering its activities with the Federal Election Commission.

Flood Related Information (03-24-09) -- The Minnesota Grain and Feed Association is urging members in flood prone areas of the State to take proactive and protective action in securing the integrity of your stored grain, feed, fertilizer and farm supplies.

Agriculture Doing Well in Hard Times (03-23-09) -- At a time when much of the global economy is falling apart and demand both for consumer goods and the firms that make and finance them is collapsing, the notoriously cyclical world of agriculture is holding up remarkably well.

VeraSun Selects Valero Renewable Fuels As Successful $477 Million Bidder for Seven Plants (03-18-09) -- Sioux Falls, SD—VeraSun Energy Corp. announced March 17 that it has selected Valero Renewable Fuels as the successful bidder for assets contained in the "VSE Group", in addition to ethanol production facilities in Albion, NE, and Albert City, Iowa, following an auction in Wilmington, DE.

VeraSun Auction draws $993 million in bids for 17 plants (03-18-09) -- Valero Energy Corp. said Wednesday that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court approved its bid of $477 million to buy seven existing ethanol plants and one facility under development from VeraSun Energy Corp.

Food fight! Grocers battle for lower prices (03-07-09) -- Think the price of food is too high? A pair of supermarket CEOs feel the same way.

Senator Klobuchar Praised for Vote to End Railroads' Antitrust Exemption (03-05-09) -- GopherCURE, a diverse coalition of Minnesota businesses working to increase competition and fairness in the freight rail industry, praised Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) today for supporting S. 146, the Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act of 2009.

USDA Releases "Factors Contributing to the Recent Increase in U.S. Fertilizer Prices, 2002-08" (02-20-09) -- Late last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released "Factors Contributing to the Recent Increase in U.S. Fertilizer Prices, 2002-08." The report, which was prepared by USDA’s Economic Research Service, provides an overview of the supply and demand factors affecting the U.S. price of fertilizers; the volatile fertilizer markets; and the long run supply outlook.

Ethanol plants no panacea for local economies, study finds (02-18-09) -- CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Just over a year ago, the U.S. ethanol industry was still in overdrive, fueling a wave of new factories to keep pace with surging demand for the corn-based gasoline additive.

Co-op mocks recession, doles out $231 million (02-14-09) -- What recession? A local grain and energy cooperative sent $231 million on Friday to its members -- and there's more on the way -- in what the co-op calls the largest-ever distribution from a U.S. cooperative.

E-sigs for Grain Contracts Cut Mailbox Clutter (02-13-09) -- NEOLA --- If a mailbox could talk, Kevin Gunderson’s might be saying “thank you.”

Corn-based Ethanol Under Attack (02-12-09) -- Two local businessmen and a farmer who work directly with the ethanol industry in the region said the University of Minnesota study released last week which states the use of corn ethanol may be no better than the use of gasoline doesn't tell the whole story.

Elevator Association reflects on challenging year (02-12-09) -- ST. CLOUD, Minn. -- Volatility, contracts, credit terms and managing risk were topics front and center at the 102nd annual meeting of the Minnesota Grain and Feed Association.

Dairy farms: Got hope? (02-10-09) -- For dairy farms the good times of 2008, when global demand pushed exports of cheese and milk powder to record highs, already seem like a distant memory.

New study praises corn as source for ethanol (02-10-09) -- A University of Minnesota study released last week played nicely into the hands of the anti-ethanol crowd and upset the state's powerful corn lobby, which extols the corn-based gasoline supplement as a cleaner-burning domestic fuel that is blended with gasoline sold in Minnesota.

Cargill Plays Prominent Role On House Derivatives Bill (02-05-09) -- WASHINGTON -- Executives from Cargill Inc., instrumental last month in persuading House Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson to change a provision in his derivatives legislation that would have hurt the company's commodities hedging business, Wednesday played a central role at a U.S. House hearing where two top Cargill executives testified about the bill.

(02-04-09) --

In era of fewer farms, Minnesota stands out (02-04-09) -- As most of the major Farm Belt states lose farms by the thousands, Minnesota is bucking the trend.

Prairie Cathedrals (01-29-09) -- Lugging 60 pounds of camera gear, Bruce Selyem trudges across a wind-whipped frozen field near Fargo, N.D., in search of the best angle to frame his favorite subject: a forlorn country grain elevator.

Mosaic lifts Cargill net to 25% gain for quarter (01-13-09) -- So how bad is the economy? So bad that even Cargill, the Minnetonka-based agri-titan whose revenue and profit have been on a tear in recent years, reported earnings on Tuesday that, excluding its investment in a fertilizer company, were lower than a year ago.

Elevators Inspire Confidence (12-30-08) -- There has been a lot written about the volatile markets that we have all encountered this year and its impacts on various sectors of the agricultural community....

NGFA Supports Changing USDA’s Regulations Governing Biotech Crops (12-23-08) -- WASHINGTON – The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) has submitted a statement to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) strongly supporting – but recommending additional revisions to – proposed changes to its regulations that govern the release of biotechnology-enhanced plant products.

A closing bell for the trading pit (12-20-08) -- The opening bell of the Minneapolis Grain Exchange rang for the last time Friday, setting off the usual frantic volley of bids, but before long someone was playing Frank Sinatra's "My Way," while an old dog waddled around the trading room floor.

MGFA Offers a New Benefit to Members Through Wells Fargo Bank (12-17-08) -- The Minnesota Grain and Feed Association is now able to offer your employees a special package of free and discounted personal banking services through local Wells Fargo banks.

The Cargill challenge: New sweetener (12-16-08) -- Cargill, known for its behind-the-scenes approach to dominating the food industry, this week steps into the limelight as it introduces a new sweetener: Truvia.

Commodity prices changing agribusiness facilities (12-08-08) -- With the world demanding more grain and the United States demanding more biofuels, this nation’s rural landscape and infrastructure are being transformed. Jeffrey Berg explained just how dramatic the changes are at the recent American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers annual meeting in San Antonio, where he was named the organization’s “2008 Appraisal Specialist of the Year.”

Our Hungry Planet: Going solo in the global market (12-05-08) -- It's a little past midnight when Wayne Knewtson's BlackBerry begins to buzz. A food broker in Japan has e-mailed, asking how low the Minnesota farmer will go in discounting a shipment of soybeans. Knewtson rolls out of bed, rubs sleep from his eyes and heads to his office in the farmyard machine shop, where he will sip coffee and read e-mails from customers half a world away.

Cargill looms as silent giant (12-04-08) -- One day last April, in an impassioned call for action, the president of the World Bank declared that 100 million people worldwide would fall deeper into extreme hunger and poverty. The reason: Higher food prices.

Food prices? Roll the dice (12-01-08) -- It was just 100,000 bushels. Ben Wolke had been in deeper before and knew what he had to do: Keep his mouth shut, don't panic and wait for the big buyers to come in with their money.

In search of cheap food (11-30-08) -- ORO PROVINCE, PAPUA NEW GUINEA -- Ezekiel Asimba's 25-acre farm lies deep within a tropical rainforest, within view of an active volcano, but the palm oil that he and other growers produce will leave this remote island on cargo ships owned by Minnetonka-based Cargill Inc., destined for grocery store shelves around the world.

National Corn Growers Association Files Objection on VeraSun Bankruptcy (11-26-08) -- Grand Island, NE - National Corn Growers Association Chairman Ron Litterer has filed a formal objection with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware concerning VeraSun Energy Corp.'s bankruptcy.

Lawmakers: Indemnity Fund Needs Changes (11-25-08) -- DES MOINES -- The Iowa Grain Indemnity Fund has done a good job of protecting farmers, but it's time to modernize the program, legislators said during an informational meeting last week on the fund and grain marketers and ethanol plants.

Many farmers support objection to VeraSun filing (11-25-08) -- WASECA, Minn. -- Several Minnesota farmers agreed to plunk down $300 to be part of a bankruptcy objection filed against VeraSun.

Farmers and elevators in tough spot (11-25-08) -- WASECA, Minn. -- More than 150 people crowded into Farmamerica's meeting room on Friday to learn more about their options since VeraSun filed for bankruptcy and canceled delivery contracts through December.

VeraSun's quarterly loss near half-billion (11-20-08) -- VeraSun Energy Corp., the second-largest U.S. ethanol producer, reported a third-quarter loss of $476 million on higher corn costs and bad hedging bets.

VeraSun Predicts Loss of $464 million (11-14-08) -- Ethanol producer VeraSun Energy Corp. said it expects to report a third-quarter net loss of about $464 million – more than four times the number quoted in an earlier announcement that accelerated the company’s fall into bankruptcy protection.

Land O'Lakes revises its earnings 20% lower (11-13-08) -- Land O'Lakes Inc., a giant dairy and agricultural cooperative based in Arden Hills, on Thursday revised its earnings downward by 20 percent in the third quarter, after discovering a "material weakness" in its internal controls over financial reporting.

VeraSun Energy Bankruptcy Poses Perils for Farmers and Elevators (11-11-08) -- We have received numerous calls from members, concerned about the uncertainty surrounding a recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of VeraSun Energy. I came across this article authored by a professor from the Iowa State Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation, that does a great job in covering some of the most pressing bankruptcy related contractual questions and concerns shared by both elevators and farmers.

Canadian Pacific Railway Assumes Control of DM&E Railroad (11-06-08) -- Canadian Pacific Railway Limited today celebrated the first day of operational control of recently acquired Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Corporation and its subsidiaries: Iowa, Chicago & Eastern Railroad and Cedar American Rail Holdings.

Bias accusations fan dispute over ethanol plant (11-05-08) -- A fight over a proposed ethanol plant in southeastern Minnesota raises a testy question for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: Whose side are you on?

Sioux Falls-based VeraSun files for bankruptcy (11-01-08) -- SIOUX FALLS, SD - After several days of speculation, ethanol producer VeraSun Energy Corp. and 24 of its subsidiaries have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Hours of Service Exemption (10-30-08) -- Governor responds to industry request for an Executive Order, providing an hours of service exemption effective October 29, 2008 through November 22, 2008.

Wet weather slows Minnesota's fall harvest (10-28-08) -- ST. PAUL, Minn. - Wet weather slowed Minnesota's fall harvest this past week. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says in its weekly crop-weather report for the state that rain throughout the week kept fields wet and gave producers only about 3.4 days suitable for fieldwork.

Fertilizer Dealers Ask Pawlenty for Hours Exemption (10-28-08) -- The Minnesota Crop Production Retailers have submitted a request for an emergency exemption from the hours of service rules.

Rail Lobbyist Not Hindered by Facts in Rail Reform Debate (10-27-08) -- It's no surprise that the railroads and their lobbyists will say and do just about anything to protect their monopoly stranglehold on captive shippers....

Small town making big noise about proposed ethanol plant (10-26-08) -- Ethanol may be a boon to corn farmers and a benefit to national security, but don't tell that to those who live in Eyota.

MGEX Plans to Close Trading Floor in December (10-24-08) -- After a long history of futures and options open outcry trading, MGEX is closing its trading pits effective December 19, 2008.

Cargill income grows on fertilizer business (10-14-08) -- Cargill Inc. posted a 62 percent jump in fiscal first-quarter net income on gains in its fertilizer business and its majority stake in one of that industry's biggest players, Mosaic Co.

Biofuel Plants Nationwide Hit Economic Road Block (10-10-08) -- LILBOURN, MO -- It's one of the newest buildings in this small agricultural town. Aligned between two city water towers, the 120-foot long biodiesel plant gleams in the sun. The paint on its sign hasn't even chipped. But weeds have begun to encroach on the Great River Soy biodiesel plant, which produced just 94,000 gallons over two weeks before it ran out of money and was shuttered.

Short Line Rail Tax Credit Passes After All; Economic Bailout Bill Includes Two Year Extension (10-10-08) -- It took more than 10 months of lobbying and debate since they expired, but the short line tax credit legislation has been given new life.

Ag Commodity Prices Return to Earth (10-08-08) -- Minnesota's food and farm sector, once the happiest slice of the state economy, has suddenly lost its summertime exuberance, thanks to a breathtaking plunge in grain prices.

MGFA Grain Elevator and Feed Mill Fire Fighting and Bin Rescue Workshop (10-06-08) -- The Minnesota Grain and Feed Association has scheduled a Grain Elevator and Feed Mill Fire Fighting and Bin Rescue Workshop for Saturday, November 22, 2008 at the Best Western Hotel & Restaurant in North Mankato.

Farmers feel squeeze (10-03-08) -- Jim Nichols braced himself for a big number when he recently called his local grain elevator for a price on phosphate, a key ingredient of fertilizer.

11th Annual Farmers Cooperatives Conference to Be Held November 18-19 in St Paul, MN (10-03-08) -- Madison, WI - Registration is underway for the 11th Annual Farmer Cooperatives Conference, to be held Nov. 18 – 19, 2008 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Elevators Safer Today, OSHA Says (09-27-08) -- For more than 20 years, grain elevator inspector Deborah Peterson wielded a red tag that gave her authority to close – on the spot – any operation she thought was headed for a dust explosion.

All American Co-op Has 100 Reasons to Celebrate (09-23-08) -- STEWARTVILLE, MN -- More than 600 people helped All American Co-op celebrate 100 years during a series of open houses.

Cooperative’s Story Begins with Determined Farmers (09-23-08) -- STEWARTVILLE, MN -- The year was 1908 and farmers in Stewartville wanted more control over how they marketed their grain.

Mosaic named in lawsuit alleging price-fixing (09-11-08) -- Mosaic and seven other large fertilizer companies are accused of price-fixing and collusion in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday in Minneapolis.

NGFA Says Further Action Needed by CME Group to Enhance Wheat Futures Contract Performance (09-11-08) -- WASHINGTON – The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) today (Sept. 11) called the CME Group’s proposed changes to its CBOT wheat futures contract a “good first step,” but said much more dramatic, substantive changes need to be made to restore the “integrity and functionality” of the contract and its value to commercial hedgers.

Ag Leaders Pan GOP Ethanol Stance - Leaders Weigh Changes in Republican Ethanol Platform (09-04-08) -- Republican presidential nominee John McCain's opposition to government aid for ethanol, which was endorsed by the party's delegates this week, is already causing him trouble as the Republican Party convention ends Thursday and his campaign heads into the general election.

CHS, Inc & Lansing Trade Group, LLC Form Grain Marketing Joint Venture (09-03-08) -- CHS, Inc. & Lansing Trade Group, LLC in Overland Park, KS, say they have formed a grain marketing joint venture, Erskine Grain Terminal, LLC, located in Erskine, MN.

Elevator has history of blazes (08-28-08) -- Fire struck a grain elevator here Wednesday that has a recent history of problems. No one was injured in the blaze at West Central Ag Services. Authorities believe the fire, reported at 11:45 a.m., was caused by a grain dust explosion, said Clay County Sheriff Bill Bergquist, who was on scene.

US grain exports snagged by infrastructure delays (08-24-08) -- Across the country, from grain elevator to grain elevator, golden wheat and corn are piled in towering mounds, waiting for a rail car to haul them to market. Some grain can sit for a month or more on the ground, exposed to wind, rain and rats.

Huge Cargill remains a limber giant (08-20-08) -- It has gone on an investment spree, but will that be enough to insulate the food and agribusiness giant from another surge in commodities prices?

Cargill Reports 4Q Earnings of $744 Million, Up From $628 Million in 4Q 2007 (08-19-08) -- Cargill reported August 19 earnings from continuing operations of $744 million in the 2008 fourth quarter ended May 31, up 18 percent from $628 million in the same period a year ago.

Crop report is upbeat (08-13-08) -- For many farmers and food producers, the deluge that swept across Iowa farm fields just two months ago has faded from memory like dust washed away by a hard summer rain. Indeed, thanks to near-ideal weather conditions in the Midwest, farmers are on pace to produce the second-largest corn crop and fourth-largest soybean crop in history, according to a government report released Tuesday.

Ethanol producer Biofuel Energy in trouble over losses (08-13-08) -- Biofuel Energy Corp., an ethanol producer with a distillery in Fairmont, Minn., said it has $46 million in combined corn, ethanol and natural-gas hedge and mark-to-market losses and may restructure. Biofuel's shares plunged 63 percent.

EPA denial of Texas governor's request to waive ethanol mandate met with mixed response (08-07-08) -- The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday denied a request from Texas Gov. Rick Perry to cut the federal ethanol mandate in half for a year.

MGFA Operations & Safety Workshop (08-06-08) -- The Minnesota Grain and Feed Association will be sponsoring an Operations and Safety Workshop on Wednesday, September 10, 2008 at the Best Western Kelly Inn, St. Cloud. The meeting will run from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The workshop will cover several areas of interest to country elevator and feed mill personnel, concerning basic operational information and procedures with employee and facility safety in mind.

Recent Twin Ports elevator sales may bode well for grain trade (08-06-08) -- W.B. Duluth Storage LLC purchased AGP’s Duluth grain terminal at the beginning of this month, completing its second local elevator acquisition this year.

Ames company fined in death of worker (07-30-08) -- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is fining an Ames company for the death of a Minnesota man last spring.

NGFA Disappointed in Bush Administration CRP Decision …Encourages Administration to Keep Policy Option Open… (07-29-08) -- The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) today (July 29) expressed disappointment in the Bush administration’s decision not to immediately authorize the penalty-free early release of acreage in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

Mosaic Co. Profit Quadruples in Quarter (07-28-08) -- Mosaic Company's fiscal fourth-quarter net income more than quadrupled as the Plymouth company said global fertilizer demand is growing twice as fast as it has, on average, over the last decade.

Update - Higher Weights Allowed for "Raw or Unprocessed Agricultural Products" (07-22-08) -- The Minnesota Grain and Feed Association has been participating in a working group to develop the operating rules related to recent legislation that allows increased weights when hauling “raw or unprocessed agricultural products” on trunk highways.

NGFA Voices Concerns to Congress on Futures Market Performance, Trading Transparency (07-22-08) -- The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) has reiterated to Congress major concerns over agricultural futures market performance and the need to enhance transparency in the public reporting of trading activity.

St. Paul to convert historic grain facility on the Mississippi (07-21-08) -- St. Paul officials are preparing to begin a restoration project that will turn the historic Harvest States Head House and Sack House grain elevator complex into a riverside park shelter and interpretative center.

Grain Elevators Reap Bumper Crop of Debt (07-21-08) -- Scott Dubbelde has told himself, time and again, that there is no use fretting about things over which he has no control. Even so, the general manager of a grain elevator cooperative in Hanley Falls, Minn., lies awake at night, worrying about the ballooning debt his elevator has incurred to finance its inventory.

Railroads Struggle to Regain Footing (07-15-08) -- Shipments of coal and other freight in the Midwest are still being delayed almost a month after record-breaking floods decimated the landscape from Cedar Rapids, IA to Hannibal, MO.

New Agricultural Truck Weights - Update (07-14-08) -- The MGFA participated in a meeting on Thursday with MnDOT, the State Patrol and other affected parties, to discuss some issues surrounding the implementation of the new agricultural truck weights in Minnesota, effective August 1.

Fire Doesn’t Stop Work at Kenyon Grain Elevator (07-11-08) -- KENYON -- Charred grain still crackled from the heat Thursday in a pile of smoldering rubble the day after a fire at Bombay Elevator Inc.

Southeastern MN fire destroys grain elevator (07-10-08) -- KENYON, Minn. -- Another Minnesota grain elevator has gone up in flames.

State sued over cutoff of ethanol payments (07-09-08) -- A company with ties to one of Minnesota's wealthiest and most notable business families has sued Minnesota over ethanol subsidies it claims the state reneged on.

USDA June 30 Acreage Report: Corn Down 7%; Soybeans Up 17%; Wheat Up 5% (06-30-08) -- Extensive rains and flooding during June caused producers in several Midwestern States to change their harvesting intentions for crops already planted, modify planting decisions for the small percentage of acres not yet planted, and consider replanting options.

Rural Bank Comes to Big City to Lend Riches (06-27-08) -- Having too much money is an enviable problem to face in this economy, but it's a problem nonetheless.

Ethanol Mixes Finding Way Into Traditional Tanks (06-26-08) -- To save money and support neighboring farms, Scott Dubbelde began mixing gasoline and cheaper, ethanol-based fuel in his cars years ago, driving first to the gasoline pump, and then to the ethanol pump.

Heavier Loads? Minnesota Bumps Up Ag Truck Permit Levels (06-25-08) -- PELICAN RAPIDS, MN -- On Aug. 1, Minnesota farmers will become a step closer to equal footing with their neighbors on truck weights, but it may take equipment changes for some farms to capitalize.

Fire Destroys Elevator – Multiple Departments Battle Blaze in Rushmore (06-20-08) -- RUSHMORE — Nine area fire departments spent the better part of Thursday afternoon battling a blaze that consumed the United Farmers Cooperative grain elevator in Rushmore and required residents from two neighboring houses to be evacuated.

Court to decide grain payment dispute (06-17-08) -- BISMARCK – North Dakota’s Supreme Court will decide whether grain elevator bonding laws cover farmers who haul their crops outside the state, in a case industry officials say may put producers’ financial safeguards in jeopardy.

Most Minnesota corn farmers escape flooding, see green (06-17-08) -- The heavy rains and storms that have devastated much of the Midwest may have one unlikely beneficiary: Minnesota corn farmers.

Corn Prices Felt Throughout Economy (06-12-08) -- America's corn crop is in trouble. And U.S. consumers are going along on the bumpy ride.

NGFA Urges Bush Administration to Announce Penalty-Free Early Outs of CRP Land Now (06-12-08) -- WASHINGTON – The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) today once again urged the Bush administration to immediately utilize its authority to grant penalty-free early outs for the least environmentally sensitive land locked up in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to give producers the flexibility to help relieve the precariously tight supply situation confronting grain and oilseed markets.

How can we lower food prices? (06-11-08) -- FARGO, N.D. — A frequent question following recent speeches on the future of biofuels concerns the impact of increasing ethanol production on food prices.

Tending the crop markets (06-09-08) -- Al Kluis drives a Lexus, wears cufflinks and kicks around in tasseled loafers. And all day long, this Minneapolis businessman talks to farmers.

Flooding to force closing of Mississippi River (06-09-08) -- DES MOINES, Iowa - A 250-mile stretch of the Mississippi River is expected to close later this week because of flooding, bringing barge traffic to a halt, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Monday.

The Food Chain – Billions Invested in Farming (06-08-08) -- Huge investment funds have already poured hundreds of billions of dollars into booming financial markets for commodities like wheat, corn and soybeans.

Fire Destroys Morgan Feed Mill (06-06-08) -- Fire has destroyed a feed and pellet mill at a grain elevator in the southwestern Minnesota town of Morgan.

Watonwan Farm Service, Crop Production Services honored (06-03-08) -- Twenty farm suppliers throughout the country were named state winners earlier this month of the Environmental Respect Award.

Is corn boom expanding Gulf of Mexico's 'dead zone'? (06-02-08) -- WASHINGTON - Last fall, the farm fields of the Midwest yielded record profits and the greatest corn crop in recent history. But there may have been an unintended consequence hundreds of miles to the south: As the corn grew, so did the size of the "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico.

As food prices spiral, farmers others profit (05-28-08) -- The steepest run-ups in food prices since 1990 are hurting grocery shoppers, restaurants and school cafeterias but they're making others rich.

What Happens When the Trucks Stop Rolling? (05-27-08) -- Not that every semi-truck driver is an expert on the nation's economy or the impact shifting commodity and fuel prices has on it, but when a guy who has been doing it for 20 years tells you he is thinking about parking his income, you listen.

Minnesota Astronaut Will Soon Be In Space (05-27-08) -- MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — If the tiny town of Vining, population 69, is known for anything, it’s probably the odd collection of giant sculptures, which includes a levitating coffee cup, a severed foot with a sore toe, a giant pliers squishing a bug and an elephant made out of lawn mower blades.

Grain elevator fire reported in eastern North Dakota (05-26-08) -- REYNOLDS, N.D. — Firefighters are working to control a fire at a grain elevator in Reynolds near the North Dakota-Minnesota border.

Dent Fire Burns 37 Acres (05-23-08) -- Saturday morning drivers on Highway 108 by Dent were met with a roaring sight—fire on the horizon.

Legislative Update – Truck Weights to Increase (05-21-08) -- The 2007-2008 Minnesota Legislative session came to a close on Monday.

State Licensed Warehouse – Licensing and Bonding Notices Out This Week (05-21-08) -- The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is sending out its grain warehouse and grain buyer license and bonding information this week.

Dent’s elevator falls after 105 years (05-19-08) -- The 105-year-old Dent elevator came down in a blaze of glory Saturday morning when a controlled burn was used as a training session for county firefighters and first responders.

How Much Wood Can Woodchuck Salvage? (05-19-08) -- The Globe grain elevator stands 15 stories over St. Louis Bay in Superior. Decommissioned in 1989, it still carries the pungent scent of its forgotten cargo.

Jeff Fetters Named President of Federated Insurance Companies (05-16-08) -- Bourbon, Indiana native, Jeff Fetters, has been named President of the Federated Insurance Companies, one of the nation’s largest and most financially secure mutual property and casualty insurance companies.

Senate Passes Farm Bill (05-15-08) -- The U.S. Senate just passed the Farm Bill Conference Report by an 81 to 15 margin, which easily exceeds the 2/3 majority needed to override the expected veto by the President.

U.S. exporters face cargo container shortage at ports (05-12-08) -- The weak dollar has increased demand for American goods overseas, but a decline in imports means fewer ships are coming from Asia.

ND Grain Dealers Assn.: Railroads Obligated to Serve (05-08-08) -- “Railroads must be obligated to serve.” "They should not be able to pick and choose for only their own bottom line interests.” "They owe their customers and the public more than that.” That was part of the message delivered by the North Dakota Grain Dealers Association to a hearing before the federal Surface Transportation Board in Washington, DC on April 24.

Community comes to aid of fallen Sanborn man (05-07-08) -- When the 911 call came in the afternoon of April 29 for Sanborn farmer Stuart Steffen, who was trapped under a collapsed silo, it took a lot more then firefighters and EMT’s to attempt a rescue - it took community effort from friends, family and area businesses working together to try and locate Steffen.

CoBank dodges the slump affecting U.S. retail banks (05-05-08) -- Two years ago, Jerry Rowe needed a seasonal operating credit line of about $9 million to run an Illinois grain elevator. This year, with soaring grain prices and a bumper corn crop to store, he needs about $35 million.

Lean times for Minnesota's pork producers (05-01-08) -- In this year of rising food prices and skyrocketing commodity costs, the profits raining on farms across the country have not fallen evenly.

Ethanol isn't the food villain, its producers say (04-30-08) -- WASHINGTON – Farmers and ethanol producers defended their good fortune Wednesday in the nation’s capital, where more lawmakers are blaming a corn-for-fuel policy for soaring food prices.

Farm report takes a tough look at the toll on our health (04-30-08) -- WASHINGTON - Factory farming takes a big, hidden toll on human health and the environment, is undermining rural America's economic stability and fails to provide the humane treatment of livestock increasingly demanded by U.S. consumers, concludes an independent 2 1/2-year analysis that calls for major changes in the way corporate agriculture produces meat, milk and eggs.

Archer Daniels Midland 3rd-quarter profit rises 42 percent, beats Wall Street's estimates (04-29-08) -- CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Archer Daniels Midland says its fiscal third-quarter profits rose 42 percent as the agricultural processor took advantage of a volatile commodities market.

Tyson loses $5 million in 2nd quarter, hit by higher feed costs; consumer prices to rise (04-29-08) -- LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Tyson Foods Inc. served notice Monday that its customers will be paying more for their food products because the world's largest meat producer foresees spending as much as $1 billion more than last year due to skyrocketing grain costs.

Snow plagues farmers as corn prices climb (04-28-08) -- Late-season snows sent corn prices higher on Monday as grain traders bid up prices in the wake of a government report showing that farmers haven't been able to get into their fields to plant.

Alfred "Al" Vigen, Partner in Vigen Construction Inc., Dies at 61 (04-25-08) -- Alfred "Al" Vigen, partner in Vigen Construction Inc., East Grand Forks, MN, died April 20 at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND, after a very brief battle with cancer. He was 61.

NGFA Recommends Actions to Enhance Performance of Grain, Oilseed Futures Markets (04-25-08) -- WASHINGTON – In the aftermath of the April 22 public meeting conducted by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) today issued a series of recommendations that it urged be implemented in an effort to enhance the performance of grain and oilseed futures contracts important to commercial hedgers.

Regulators Back Away From Changes to Commodity Hedging (04-23-08) -- WASHINGTON — Faced with widespread complaints from the agricultural industry, federal regulators are backing away from two proposals that would have allowed institutional investors to expand their stake in the turbulent commodity futures markets.

A Deal is a Deal (04-21-08) -- FARGO, N.D. — For years, North Dakota grain producers and grain elevators have enjoyed and prospered from a relationship based on trust and each fulfilling his or her obligations.

Abandoned Elevator Will Get a Second Chance (04-18-08) -- The old Fort Dodge Grain Terminal Elevator, located near Hawkeye Avenue and Loomis Park Road, has been an eyesore for years.

Trade delegation eyes bigger share of Cuban ag trade pie (04-16-08) -- ST. PAUL -- Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Gene Hugoson led a trade delegation to Cuba March 29-April 2 to develop trade relations and promote Minnesota's agriculture exports.

An Era Ends at South St. Paul (04-16-08) -- SOUTH ST. PAUL, MN -- It was business as usual on the last day of sales at South St. Paul.

At $471,611 an hour, Cargill posts fine quarter (04-15-08) -- Has it ever been better for Cargill? Not likely.

Cargill says 3rd-quarter profit rose 86 percent (04-14-08) -- Agriculture conglomerate Cargill said on Monday that its third-quarter profit rose 86 percent to $1.03 billion on strong growth in its commodity sourcing and finance business.

Explosion rocks elevator in Sanborn, IA (04-10-08) -- SANBORN, Iowa -- Officials are trying to determine what led to the grain elevator explosion that rocked the northern Iowa city of Sanborn Thursday afternoon.

CHS Inc. Reports Record Six Month Earnings of $468 Million (04-09-08) -- CHS Inc., a leading energy, grains and foods company, reported on April 9 record earnings for the first half of its 2008 fiscal year of $468.9 million.

Alvo shutdown a source of anxiety for grain handlers (04-08-08) -- A financial crunch created by high volatility in grain prices appears to have claimed its first casualty in the ranks of Nebraska grain elevators.

Ripe market yields strong third quarter for Mosaic (04-07-08) -- Mosaic Co., one of the best-performing stocks in the country over the past couple of years, proved again Friday that there's gold in the fertilizer business.

Baldwin grain elevator goes up in flames (04-05-08) -- BALDWIN, WI - Fire that broke out in the Baldwin Feed and Seed grain elevator Thursday fully engulfed the structure by the time firefighters got to the scene.

Commission closes Alvo warehouses (04-04-08) -- In an emergency meeting Friday, the Nebraska Public Service Commission voted 5-0 to immediately close and take possession of the Alvo Grain and Feed company warehouses in Alvo and Ashland.

Martin to lead bovine TB fight (04-04-08) -- As Minnesota's cattle industry braces for a big economic hit, officials responded Thursday to a serious outbreak of bovine tuberculosis in northwestern Minnesota by appointing a point person for the fight, and by launching a website with TB information for farmers and others.

Biogasoline: A pile of potential (04-04-08) -- It looks like gasoline, smells like gasoline and runs in regular gasoline engines, but it isn't made from crude oil; it comes from crops.

Farmers planting less corn, and that could mean higher grocery bills for consumers (04-02-08) -- WASHINGTON - From chicken nuggets to corn flakes, food prices at grocery stores and dinner tables could be headed even higher as farmers cut back on the land they're planting in corn this spring.

Soybean groups, U mend fences (04-02-08) -- Soybean farmer groups have patched up their differences with the University of Minnesota and are expected to resume funding several research projects today, according to officials at the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council.

Corn Acreage to Plunge, Soybean Acreage to Soar, USDA Forecasts (04-01-08) -- Corn producers intend to plant fewer acres than expected in 2008, and soybean producers will increase their acreage by an equal amount over expectations.

A horn of plenty for Minnesota farmers (03-31-08) -- Fortune smiled on rural Minnesota in 2007, as median farm income soared 73 percent in a year, to $105,000, on runaway demand for corn, milk, wheat and soybeans.

Archer Daniels goes after railroads (03-27-08) -- Agricultural giant Archer Daniels Midland Co. has filed a federal antitrust lawsuit in Minneapolis, accusing the five largest U.S. railroads of a price-fixing conspiracy.

Congress hearing new calls for more railway regulation (03-27-08) -- WASHINGTON - A coalition of farm and rural business interests from across Minnesota has banded together with a national group challenging what they call the monopoly power of the nation's railroads.

Soybean Cost Halting Ethanol Production (03-25-08) -- The rising cost of soybean oil, a main ingredient in biodiesel, has led a New Jersey company to shut down, delayed construction of a plant in Nebraska, and now forced a Minnesota producer to temporarily suspend operations and lay off dozens of employees.

Battle over? Some individual farmers will get $250,000 in suit (03-20-08) -- Unless something new goes down, farmers should get the bulk of their payments in the $62 million Poast herbicide marketing fraud case by this summer.

Preserving the Past (03-20-08) -- Bruce Selyem sees a big part of rural America’s heritage being lost. The Bozeman, Mont., photographer launched the Country Grain Elevator Historical Society to help change that.

Grain bonanza helps boost General Mills profit 61% (03-20-08) -- It wasn't just canny hedge fund managers who profited from the recent run-up in grain prices. General Mills, one of Minneapolis' original players in the grain trade, made handsome profits as wheat and oat costs soared.

Port of New Orleans, LA to Invest $1 Billion in Improvement Projects to Triple Port's Container Cargo Capacity (03-14-08) -- The Port of New Orleans recently revealed its plan to invest $1 billion in improvement projects.

Beef Industry Reels From Rising Feed Costs (03-14-08) -- With 11,000 hungry mouths to feed, breakfast at the Weschenfelder Feedlot in Shepherd is measured in tons.

Record Grain Prices Boost Rural Economy (03-14-08) -- Record-high grain prices are fueling a rural economic boom in farm states such as Kansas.

Pawlenty wants feds to take a look at E20 (03-05-08) -- WASHINGTON - America's drivers could be pumping more ethanol into their cars by 2013, if Gov. Tim Pawlenty has anything to say about it.

Safeguards sought before rail merger (03-05-08) -- In an effort to make a controversial railroad project more palatable and safer as it winds through Rochester, Minn., officials at the Mayo Clinic want conditions imposed on the Canadian Pacific Railway's acquisition of the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad.

Rogue Republicans still feeling heat from overriding governor's veto (03-04-08) -- In Glenwood, Minn., worshipers held a prayer service last week for Rep. Bud Heidgerken, R-Freeport. As such groups often do, they prayed for his salvation. But this time it was salvation from the fire turned on Heidgerken by his own party after he voted to override Gov. Tim Pawlenty's veto of a $6.6 billion tax-raising transportation bill.

Hail the humble potato, which fueled global trade (03-04-08) -- It is the world's fourth-most-important food crop, after corn, wheat and rice. It provides more calories, more quickly, using less land and in a wider range of climates than any other plant. It is, of course, the potato.

Bakers need dough (03-02-08) -- It's now to the point that Lynn Schurman posts in her bakery the latest price for wheat, just so her customers understand.

No free ride in quest for better roads (02-27-08) -- Just how much Minnesotans will pay in higher taxes and fees under the new transportation funding package depends on where they live, how much they spend, how far they drive and what kind of vehicles they own.

Republicans who broke ranks taste retaliation (02-27-08) -- Less than 24 hours after six rogue Republican House members voted to override a veto of a $6.6 billion tax-raising transportation bill, they were stripped of their leadership positions, a swift and unusual recrimination explained as an effort to "stitch together" a fractious House GOP caucus.

House, Senate override a Pawlenty veto for the first time (02-26-08) -- Minnesotans will see their first state gas tax increase in 20 years as part of an ambitious $6.6 billion transportation plan that promised better roads and bridges and was nudged into law after the historic override of a governor's veto.

Wheat Prices Ripple Through Economy (02-26-08) -- Sometime this spring, a farmer needing wheat to plant will knock on the door of Wild Horse Seed where, regretfully, Nick Lowen will turn him away.

Dairy exports rise to the top, giving farmers reason to smile (02-24-08) -- Add another boom to the rapidly improving lot of the Minnesota farmer: a surge of dairy exports.

Mosaic has perfect formula for growth (02-24-08) -- Even a novice investor noticed something unusual about Mosaic Inc. last year: For a big company, it grew -- by a lot.

Elevators Moving Cautiously (02-21-08) -- A volatile grain futures market that has seen record-high wheat prices at the nation’s major commodity exchanges is making many grain elevators leery of forward contracting with farmers on their 2008 winter wheat crop, Kansas Agricultural Secretary, Adrian Polansky, says.

Group Forms New Soybean Crushing Co-op (02-21-08) -- A new cooperative has been formed in Kindred, N.D., to build a $130 million to $200 million soybean crushing plant in southeastern North Dakota.

Minto Grain Elevator Wins Lawsuit (02-20-08) -- A jury in Walsh County, ND, has awarded a net $455,000 in damages to a grain elevator in Minto, ND because the court determined the neighbors improperly reached across property lines to block its expansion.

Early battle looms over transportation bill (02-12-08) -- A transportation bill that includes tax and fee increases of about $1.4 billion will be released Tuesday and could prompt the first real battle of the legislative session.

A new session, a familiar divide (02-12-08) -- The DFL majority plans to charge boldly into the 2008 legislative session today with proposals for gasoline tax increases, universal health care and more that appear destined for a collision with Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Ulen elevator worker buried up to neck in corn seed (01-31-08) -- ULEN, MN - An employee of a western Minnesota grain elevator was shaken up but otherwise OK after being buried up to his neck in corn seed.

Hog Producers Losing Money (01-31-08) -- After several good years, times are tough in the hog industry, and some pork producers in Minnesota wonder how long they can hang on. Since last October, they've been losing money on every animal they sell. That's a significant development in Minnesota, where hog sales total about $2 billion a year. High costs for feed, mainly corn, play a major role in the downturn.

Modern Day Grain Grabbers (01-31-08) -- With wheat prices pushing $13 a bushel, the idea of making off with a few thousand bushels from an elevator and re-selling them down the road has caught some operators in western Kansas by surprise.

Warehouse Burns in Subzero Weather (01-21-08) -- Firefighters on Saturday battled a blaze at one of the main warehouses at the SunOpta sunflower processing plant just east of Breckenridge.

Ag giants persuade MPCA to alter rule (01-21-08) -- Industry scientists gave state regulators research they said called for looser regulation of a pesticide. The state agreed.

High Grain Prices Spur Thefts From Kansas Elevators (01-16-08) -- A recent rash of thefts from grain elevators in western Kansas is being attributed to the high cost of corn, wheat and soybeans.

Steep rise in crop prices: Could it be a bubble? (01-15-08) -- Biofuels, global demand and a new class of exchange-traded funds all played a part. And some worry a boom could turn to bust.

Scott Nagel Named President of ADM-Benson Quinn (01-14-08) -- ADM Grain Group is announcing Scott Nagel named President of ADM-Benson Quinn.

CHS Posts Record $300.9 Million in First Quarter 2008 Earnings (01-11-08) -- CHS Inc. (NASDAQ: CHSCP), a leading energy and grain-based foods company, announced Jan. 11 record earnings of $300.9 million for the first quarter of its 2008 fiscal year.

Heavy fertilizer demand drives Mosaic's rapid profit growth (01-11-08) -- Earnings per share are up nearly 500 percent because of global sales and high oil prices pushing renewable fuel development.

Brian Threet, Son of Bing and Tammy Threet, Structural Restoration Co. Owners, Dies (01-10-08) -- Brian W. Threet, 20, the son of Bing and Tammy Threet, owners of Structural Restoration Co., Minneapolis, MN, died Saturday, January 5 at his home in St. Cloud, MN.

Proposed Canadian Pacific Railways Merger with Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Could Benefit Grain Shippers (01-10-08) -- The proposed acquisition of the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad (DM&E) by Canadian Pacific Railways (CP) could benefit grain shippers by preserving rail competition, which would maintain lower rail grain rates.

Cargill sells Duluth elevator to hedge fund (01-07-08) -- Cargill Inc. has agreed to sell its Duluth elevator to a Minneapolis-based family of hedge funds called Whitebox Advisors LLC.

Coalition wants to strengthen state's livestock sector (12-21-07) -- BLOOMINGTON, MN -- Minnesota's Farm and Food Coalition wants to strengthen the state's livestock sector.

Association “Officially” Celebrates its Centennial on December 17th (12-17-07) -- The following excerpt was taken from the MGFA Special Centennial Magazine, which details the growth of the grain elevator and feed industry in Minnesota and the development and growth of the Minnesota Grain and Feed Association.

OSHA Fines Minnesota Elevator for Bin Death (12-17-07) -- The Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration has fined Glenville Grain with $26,500 in penalties for violations found in connection with the death of a 20-year-old Albert Lea man last August.

DHS Publishes Final Rule on List of Chemicals Subject to Anti-Terrorism Regs (12-13-07) -- If you find your firm being affected by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) new anti-terrorism regulations or wish to learn more about it, the DHS has set up a help desk, which can be contacted by calling toll-free at 866-323-2957.

Senate to debate farm subsidy cut (12-03-07) -- While Minnesota's senators take opposing sides on limiting subsidies for the wealthiest, farmers watch with concern.

Grain Elevator Collapses on Home (11-25-07) -- A huge grain bin in the tiny Henry County town of Hillsboro collapsed without warning Monday night.

MGFA Board Member, Kim Turner, Dies of Injuries From Crash (11-13-07) -- It is with great sadness that I report the tragic death of Kim Turner, MGFA Board Member, General Manager of the Hallock Co-op Elevator Company, former fire chief and current mayor of Hallock, MN.

Congress Overrides Presidential Veto of Waterways Bill (11-12-07) -- Congress took swift and decisive action last week to override President Bush’s Nov. 2 veto of the major waterways legislation that, among other things, authorizes $3.6 billion to construct new locks on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Waterway.

101st MGFA Convention Returns to St. Cloud (11-12-07) -- The 101st Annual Convention and Trade show of the Minnesota Grain and Feed Association will be held on February 3-5 (Sunday-Tuesday), 2008 at the St. Cloud Civic Center.

Grain Elevator and Feed Mill Fire Fighting and Bin Rescue Workshop (11-12-07) -- Each year grain storage and milling facilities are damaged or destroyed by fire or experience other safety and health related situations.

DHS Finalizes List of Chemicals Subject to Anti-terrorism Regs (11-12-07) -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Nov. 2 issued a final list of “chemicals of interest” – known as “Appendix A” – that will be used to determine whether facilities potentially will be subject to regulation under its chemical facility antiterrorism regulations.

Even 100 million bushels lighter, corn crop a record (11-12-07) -- The largest U.S. corn crop in history got a little less large Friday, when a government report said that farmers will produce 13.2 billion bushels this year, 100 million fewer than earlier estimates.

Mycotoxins a Concern for Distiller’s Grains (11-06-07) -- If you pick up any feeding guide on distiller's grains somewhere in the text, you will find a warning about the potential for mycotoxin contamination.

Governor Signs Executive Order Extending Hours of Service for Diesel & Ammonia Transportation (11-01-07) -- Acting to prevent a critical situation from getting worse, this afternoon the Governor signed an Executive Order extending the hours of service for diesel and ammonia transportation in agricultural circumstances.

Former N.D. governor is Bush pick for ag secretary (10-31-07) -- WASHINGTON — President Bush today will nominate Edward Schafer, a former two-term Republican governor from North Dakota, to be his next secretary of agriculture, a senior administration official said.

Senate Ag Committee Completes Action on 2007 Farm Bill (10-26-07) -- The Senate Agriculture Committee today (October 25) approved its version of the 2007 farm bill, setting up possible consideration on the Senate floor as early as the week of October 29.

Herculex® RW, Herculex I/RR2 Approved for Import into EU (10-25-07) -- INDIANAPOLIS and DES MOINES, Iowa — October 24, 2007 — The European Commission today announced it has granted full food, feed, processing and import approval of grain corn and derived products containing the Herculex® RW Rootworm Protection trait, as well as the stack of Herculex® I Insect Protection and Roundup Ready® Corn 2 (RR2), into the European Union (EU).

Farmers Trade Grain for Scholarships (10-24-07) -- Under a new program, farmers can donate proceeds from grain hauled to elevators in southwestern Minnesota toward scholarships for students for students at Minnesota West Community and Technical College.

Area Co-op Checks Corn for Mold (10-23-07) -- Remsen, Iowa -- Don Konz points to a blender in the office at Remsen Co-op Company and reveals the unit's age.

State's Ag chief going to Cuba to scout possibilities for trade (10-18-07) -- Politics and high prices have hurt Minnesota farm exports, while leaders are wondering what business might look like after Castro.

State's Ag chief going to Cuba to scout possibilities for trade (10-18-07) -- Politics and high prices have hurt Minnesota farm exports, while leaders are wondering what business might look like after Castro.

Cargill profit surges on higher demand (10-15-07) -- Growth in worldwide demand for corn and soybeans more than made up for higher costs.

Boom fades as ethanol floods the marketplace (10-10-07) -- The growing pains of a young industry sting some ethanol producers; with plant capacity outstripping immediate demand, many expect profits to be depressed through next year.

2007 Harvest a Win-Win (10-04-07) -- Big demand is driving up prices of Minnesota's bountiful crops

Railroad rate protest enthusiasm cools (09-27-07) -- North Dakota regulators' enthusiasm for pursuing a federal complaint against the Burlington Northern Santa Fe's wheat-shipping charges has cooled, even though the Legislature has set aside almost $1 million for the job, the Associated Press reports.

U.S. Class 1’s turned fuel cost recovery fees into ‘profit centers,’ rail shipper organizations claim (09-27-07) -- The U.S. Class 1’s “overcharged” shippers by more than $6.4 billion the past four years through fuel surcharges that “transformed fuel cost recovery mechanisms into profit centers,” according to a study released last week by rail shipper organizations Consumers United for Rail Equity (CURE) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC).

Commodity prices heading skyward (09-26-07) -- While some call the price rise a bubble, others see sound reasons for the run-up in a variety of U.S. commodities.

Freedom to Breathe Act Begins October 1 (09-24-07) -- Beginning October 1, 2007, Minnesota's Freedom to Breathe law prohibits smoking in virtually all indoor workplaces.

Terror war at the henhouse door? Farmers scratching their heads (09-10-07) -- Homeland Security rules would apply to any facilities that store a lot of chemicals.

Final List of Chemicals Subject to DHS Anti-Terrorism Security Regulations Expected to be Issued in September (09-10-07) -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is expected to issue sometime in September the final version of its list of “chemicals of interest” and threshold quantity trigger levels that will be used to determine which facilities potentially will be regulated under the agency’s chemical facility antiterrorism regulations.

DM&E Announces Merger With Canadian Pacific Railway (09-04-07) -- Sioux Falls, SD – The Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad (DM&E) today announced it has entered into an agreement that will result in a merger of its operations with Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (CP).

Rushford elevator suffers significant flood loss (08-30-07) -- RUSHFORD, MN -- Mark Schwanbeck, general manager of Rushford's Farmers Cooperative Elevator Company, said their grain bins have two feet of water damage caused by the flood that ravaged the town.

Rain ignored some, helped some -- and brought misery to others (08-24-07) -- Extreme drought continues to plague much of Minnesota despite ravaging floods in southeastern counties. In some areas, meanwhile, farmers are cheering.

Japan Completes Approval of Syngenta Agrisure® RW Corn Biotech Trait; Syngenta Urges U.S. Growers to Continue Adherence to Non-Export Stewardship Agreements (08-24-07) -- Syngenta on Aug. 23 announced that Japan has granted full food, feed and environmental regulatory approval to its Agrisure® RW MIR604 biotech corn trait.

Cargill CEO posts big gain in earnings as he departs (08-22-07) -- Even volatility in global commodities markets helped the Minnetonka company.

Man trapped in grain bin dies (08-15-07) -- GLENVILLE, MINN. -- A 20-year-old Albert Lea man died Tuesday after becoming trapped in a steel grain bin at the Glenville grain elevator, the Freeborn County Sheriff's Office said.

Railroad keeping pace with bumper crop (08-14-07) -- Leadership at Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway has taken a proactive approach to the 2007 harvest, and North Dakota elevators and producers are expected to benefit from the planning, at least during the early stages of harvest.

As political winds shift, ethanol may take a hit (08-10-07) -- “A low-carbon fuel standard is not a direct ethanol mandate," an energy policy expert told a meeting of ethanol producers.

Food vs. fuel still subject of hot debate (08-09-07) -- Ethanol consumes a lot of corn. People consume a lot of corn. But is ethanol behind rising food prices?

Politicking aplenty at 2007 Farmfest in Redwood County (08-08-07) -- The U.S. agriculture secretary, Minnesota's members of Congress and candidates had lots to say about the farm bill. Ag secretary and congressional ag committee members sparred over the new farm bill at Minnesota's top farm gathering.

Land O'Lakes profit triples (08-01-07) -- A strong dairy market and cash from the sale of a manufacturing facility helped Land O'Lakes triple its second-quarter profit compared with a year ago.

APHIS Announces Policy Changes on Issuing Phytosanitary Certificates for Grain-Based Processed Products (07-31-07) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on June 25 issued a policy change, effective immediately, that expands significantly the plant-based products eligible for phytosanitary certificates, as well as which commodities the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) is authorized to perform phytosanitary inspections.

Bush threatens farm-bill veto (07-26-07) -- The White House criticized the income cap for subsidies as too high. Speaker Nancy Pelosi calls the measure a "critical first step for reform."

Clarks Grove Elevator Hit by Lightning, Bursts (07-24-07) -- CLARKS GROVE — Lightning struck Watonwan Farm Service’s primary grain elevator Monday evening in Clarks Grove, causing a short-lived fire and busting a hole in the east side.

Clarks Grove assesses damage to elevator (07-24-07) -- CLARKS GROVE — The 12 families who were evacuated after the Watonwan Farm Service grain elevator was hit by lightning Monday evening returned to their homes Tuesday as authorities continued to assess the damage to the elevator.

Minneapolis Grain Exchange seats are a hot commodity (07-24-07) -- Prices for Minneapolis Grain Exchange memberships are soaring, in part because of consolidation speculation.

Minimum wage goes up; effect in Minnesota is minimal so far (07-24-07) -- Up to 1.7 million Americans could get a raise today, thanks to the first bump in the federal minimum wage in 10 years -- from $5.15 to $5.85 an hour -- according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Truck crash led to discovery of bogus inspection stickers (07-20-07) -- The semi had an official-looking decal, but officials say it had been issued by a inspector from Winsted who was an impostor.

Number of country elevators declining (07-17-07) -- DAYTON, Ohio - Grain elevators - one of the most visible icons of rural and small-town life - are disappearing or are being forced to adapt to survive because of falling demand and increased competition.

New Vision in merger talks with Watonwan Farm Service (07-13-07) -- WORTHINGTON — A potential merger between New Vision Co-op and Watonwan Farm Service (WFS) will be decided by members of both cooperatives in the coming weeks.

$11.9 billion CBOT sale to Merc OK'd (07-10-07) -- The deal approved by shareholders could make Chicago's new CME Group the world's largest exchange.

Biofuel for a big controversy (07-10-07) -- As Sparta, Wis., gets closer to an ethanol plant, a dairy processor owned by Hormel is threatening to leave.

Changes in agriculture have stressed infrastructure (07-09-07) -- MINNEAPOLIS -- Changes in agriculture have stressed infrastructure and future economic development hinges upon investments in roads, rail and bridges, a study finds.

Grain production increase adds to transportation stress (07-09-07) -- MINNEAPOLIS -- Corn and soybean production increases have been invisible to the world outside agriculture, said David A. Christianson, who just completed a freight study of District 7.

DM&E railroad plans to add tracks (06-22-07) -- SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Private investors are stepping forward and the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad expects to begin construction next year on about 200 miles of new rail line, chief executive officer Kevin Schieffer said.

Ulen man dies after being trapped in grain elevator (06-20-07) -- ULEN, MN — An Ulen man has died of injuries suffered after he became trapped in a grain elevator, authorities said.

NCGA’s CEO Tolman: Moving From E10 to E20 Blends Faces Obstacles (06-19-07) -- Moving the gasoline blend from E10 to E20 won’t be easy. So says Rick Tolman, chief executive officer for the National Corn Growers Association.

Rutgers Unveils New GM Crop Containment Strategy (06-13-07) -- New Brunswick, N.J. – Plant geneticists at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, may have solved one of the fundamental problems in genetically engineered or modified (GM or GMO) crop agriculture: genes leaking into the environment.

OSHA Cites North Dakota Feed Operation in Grain Bin Entry Incident that Injured Three (06-07-07) -- Bismarck, ND -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Hubbard Feeds Inc. of Bismarck for unsafe working conditions following a Dec. 5, 2006, accident that injured three employees.

Gregory Page Takes Cargill’s Reins (06-07-07) -- MINNETONKA, MN - If you see a 6-foot 3-inch guy inline skating around Lake Harriet chatting about North Dakota or about how farmland is too expensive or about grain (especially if you hear him talking about grain), say hello to Gregory Page, the new CEO of Cargill Inc.

Stoel Rives Law Firm Opens Minneapolis Office (06-07-07) -- Minneapolis, MN, June 4, 2007—Stoel Rives LLP, a Portland, Oregon-based business law firm of over 350 attorneys that provides services throughout the United States, today announced the establishment of a Minneapolis office with the initial hiring of 10 leading Twin Cities lawyers.

Worker at Newton grain elevator gets arms caught in conveyor belt (06-07-07) -- A Newton grain elevator employee was hurt Thursday morning when his arms became caught in a conveyor belt.

Bricelyn elevator bursts (06-05-07) -- BRICELYN — The side of a Watonwan Farm Service grain elevator blew out Monday in Bricelyn, spilling corn out the side of the building and crushing the trailer of a WFS hauler.

Antitrust suit filed against railroads (06-01-07) -- A lawsuit seeking action status was filed May 14 alleging a price-fixing conspiracy by five major U.S.-based railroad freight haulers: CSX Transportation Inc., Norfolk Southern Railway Co., BNSF Railway Co., Union Pacific Railroad Co. and Kansas City Southern Railway Co.

Letter to Congress Opposing New Animal Welfare Section in 2007 Farm Bill (05-24-07) -- Here is a coalition letter that was sent May 23 to the House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry opposing the Humane Society of the United States' attempt to include a new animal welfare section in the 2007 farm bill.

MGFA Summer Meeting & Golf Outing (05-18-07) -- The MGFA Summer Meeting for members and their families is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, July 12-13, 2007, at the new Thumper Pond Resort located just outside Ottertail (northwest of Alexandria).

FDA Letter to the Feed Industry (05-18-07) -- NOTE: The Minnesota Department of Agriculture, under direction from the FDA, will likely be performing additional inspections, with an expanded focus on the importance of assuring the safety and security of your ingredients and products by knowing the sources for all incoming materials. This is all a result of the recent pet food recalls and the contamination of some wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate contaminated with melamine. The attached letter goes into more detail and includes some additional helpful links.

Study Warns U.S. Near Tipping Point in Corn-Based Ethanol (05-18-07) -- WASHINGTON – A major new study officially issued today conservatively estimates that increased corn prices driven by rapidly expanding U.S. ethanol production already have increased U.S. retail food prices by $14 billion annually.

WRDA Update as of 5-15-07 and Chief of Engineers (05-16-07) -- As of Monday afternoon at 3:00 p.m., the Senate had unanimous consent to begin consideration of H.R. 1495, the Water Resources Development Act of 2007. They are now working on the Manager’s Amendment (i.e. the Senate version of a Water Resources authorization bill). So far four amendments have been debated and all have had roll-call votes.

Ethanol Fuels Farm Storage Boom (05-11-07) -- DORCHESTER, Neb. - Outside of two bars and a bank, there's little activity on Washington Street in Dorchester, Neb., where more windows are covered by boards than “Open” signs.

House eases speeding ticket law (05-11-07) -- Many Minnesotans' favorite traffic law, the one that hides speeding violations from insurance companies, could be expanded under a transportation policy bill approved Thursday by the House.

Lawmakers Introduce New Rail Competition Bill (05-11-07) -- Rep. James L. Oberstar, D-Minn., on May 3 introduced the second major rail bill in as many days.

17th Annual Red River Valley Golf Classic (05-07-07) -- The 17th Annual Red River Valley Golf Classic, sponsored by the Minnesota Grain & Feed Association, has been scheduled for Thursday, June 28, 2007, at the Oak Knolls Golf Club, Red Lake Falls (Hwy. 32 South).

Johanns Urged by 37 Organizations to Reconsider Decision on Allowing Penalty-Free Early Outs from CRP to Meet Corn Demand (05-04-07) -- WASHINGTON – Thirty-seven national and state organizations representing a broad spectrum of U.S. agribusiness, livestock and poultry have urged Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns to reconsider his March 30 decision not to allow penalty-free early release of acres from the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) for 2007.

Zelenka -- Agrisure is headache grain industry doesn't need (05-03-07) -- ST. PAUL ---- The sale of seed with genetics not approved for export is a concern for anyone buying grain.

First pet food, now farm feed (05-02-07) -- Federal officials said contaminated feed may have been used at farms that provide meat for people, but they downplayed the risk.

NGFA Receptive to Proposals to Spur Investments in New Rail Capacity, Subject to Federal Oversight (04-27-07) -- WASHINGTON – The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) said today (April 11) it is receptive to proposals to provide reasonable tax incentives to encourage investments in additional rail infrastructure capacity to meet rapidly expanding demand for rail freight service, provided certain conditions are met and appropriate federal oversight is exercised.

Minnesota Department of Agriculture Lifts Agrisure Stop Sale (04-26-07) -- Late yesterday afternoon, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) approved the application for a commercial use exemption for Syngenta to sell Agrisure MIR 604 genetically modified seed in Minnesota.

Stanislaus County Hog Farm Quarantined (04-25-07) -- The American Hog Farm, a 1500-animal facility in Ceres, has been quarantined by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and lab testing has revealed the presence of the chemical melamine in pig urine.

FDA’s Update on Tainted Pet Food (04-25-07) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating an imported shipment of rice protein concentrate which has been found to contain melamine.

Don't shuck that shirt (04-24-07) -- Minnesota-made Ingeo fabric may be made of corn, but it's soft as butter. When you're tired of it, you can throw it in the compost bin. Is corn in our clothing's future?

Annual MGFA Feed Forum Scheduled (04-17-07) -- The Minnesota Grain and Feed Association will again be sponsoring a feed forum on Thursday, May 31 at the Best Western Hotel & Restaurant, North Mankato.

Heavier-trucks bill is praised, booed in Senate (04-11-07) -- Truckers, along with timber and farm interests, are squaring off with railroads, police and environmentalists.

Biologist predicts ethanol from grass in this decade (04-11-07) -- Grasses offer the potential of producing more energy gain than corn, but the price of processing the grass must be reduced.

MGFA Grain Grading Schools Scheduled (03-23-07) -- The Minnesota Grain & Feed Association will again be sponsoring grain grading schools at two locations this spring.

Competitors played role in DM&E loan’s fate, Thune says (03-20-07) -- SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Sen. John Thune says potential competitors helped derail a $2.3 billion Federal Railroad Administration loan for the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad.

Opinions Page: DM&E Loan Derailed by Politicians, Selfishness (03-19-07) -- Rochester city officials and Mayo Clinic’s elite management were giddy last week when the Federal Railroad Administration turned down the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad’s $2.3 billion loan request.

Farm groups disappointed in federal denial of DM&E loan request (03-19-07) -- There will be no immediate changes in operations on the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad, says Kevin Schieffer, DM&E president & CEO.

‘We need expanded rail travel’ (03-19-07) -- The Federal Rail Administration’s decision to deny the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad a $2.3 billion loan left many in agriculture wondering what’s next.

If DM&E reassesses its proposal, Walz says he could become railroad's ally (02-28-07) -- WASHINGTON - Rep. Tim Walz said he could support a railroad expansion in southern Minnesota if the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern (DM&E) Railroad re-evaluates the $6 billion project that was denied a federal loan on Monday.

DM&E Railroad won't get $2 billion loan for coal line (02-27-07) -- Project opponents applauded the federal decision. The company's president said he'll seek other financing for a route across Minnesota.

DM&E Plan Advances to Loan Stage (02-07-07) -- WASHINGTON - Expansion plans by the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad (DM&E) chugged forward Wednesday when the Federal Railroad Administration decided that the project has passed its federal environmental review.

Staley to step down at Cargill (02-07-07) -- When the longtime CEO retires in June, he'll be succeeded by Gregory Page, now president and chief operating officer.

EU Votes to Lift Bt10 Corn Testing Requirement for U.S. Corn Imports (01-19-07) -- BRUSSELS, Belgium -- EU nations voted Tuesday to stand down extra checks for the unauthorized Bt10 strain of genetically modified corn in U.S. imports of corn gluten animal feed and brewers' grain, saying they were no longer necessary.

Mexico Exported Corn Despite Signs of Shortages - Newspaper Report (01-19-07) -- A business newspaper reported Friday that then-President Vicente Fox last fall authorized the export of 125,000 tons of Mexican corn despite signs of shortages of the cereal grain on international markets.

NAMA funds biofuels study (01-12-07) -- Washington, D.C. – The North American Millers’ Association recently announced that it is joining nine other associations in funding a study at Iowa State University on the “Potential Significance of the Emerging Biofuels Sector to the U.S. Grain, Oilseed, Transportation and Livestock Sectors....”

Appeals court rules in favor of DM&E expansion (12-29-06) -- MINNEAPOLIS - Opponents of the planned expansion of the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad lost another round on Thursday when the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the federal Surface Transportation Board legally approved the project.

Chinese Mainland Pledges to Export Corn to Taiwan (12-28-06) -- The Chinese mainland on Wednesday pledged to export corn to Taiwan to relieve the feed shortage being experienced by the island's pig farmers.

Syngenta Seeds is fined $1.5 million (12-22-06) -- The EPA penalized the Golden Valley firm after genetically modified seed corn made its way into the distribution channel.

Grain elevators to be razed but not erased (12-22-06) -- Part of the Bunge complex will be demolished, but the historic 227-foot "headhouse" will be saved.

N.D. backs appeal over rail accident in Minot (12-22-06) -- North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem is supporting a U.S. Supreme Court appeal by Minot residents who are suing the Canadian Pacific Railway in connection with a January 2002 anhydrous ammonia spill.

No trespassing: Signs are ignored, sometimes fatally (11-17-06) -- Owners of empty sites, including grain elevators, can only do so much to secure properties, officials say.

Corn yields suffer, but soybeans thrive (10-13-06) -- WASHINGTON - September showers came too late for cornfields in the Midwest, lowering the nationwide forecast a bit and also raising prices.

Heavy hitters choose sides in fight over huge rail project (10-12-06) -- SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - A $6 billion coal train project has created strange political bedfellows in South Dakota, where railroads helped pioneers settle the land when it was still Dakota Territory.

Grain Exchange is cradle of Twin Cities commerce (10-09-06) -- The birthplace of the Minneapolis business community is still going strong, 125 years after it began.

Cargill Takes Careful Approach in Booming Ethanol Industry (09-26-06) -- MINNEAPOLIS -- Cargill is dipping a cautious toe in the ethanol boom, upping its investment in production of the corn-based alternative fuel but keeping its focus on serving other firms that operate ethanol plants instead of building its own.

New Elevator Receiving Grain (08-30-06) -- Erskine, MN – For months, Polk County, MN, farmers and passers-by on US Highway 2 between Mentor & Erskine, MN, have been talking about the big grain facility going up just south of the roadway.

Gold’n Plump Expansion Underway (08-30-06) -- Cold Spring, MN – The fortunes of Gold’n Plump never have looked better.

DM&E gets approval to form a holding company (08-28-06) -- Washington – The Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad has a green light to form a second holding company, one that will oversee part of its $6 billion project to bring coal from Wyoming to the Mississippi River.

Grain Exchange: Fast times on the floor (08-07-06) -- Profits are back. New orders are smashing records. And the price of membership is up -- way up.

NEW LOCKS PASS SENATE! (07-20-06) -- First Large-Scale Approach Since 1930s for Upper Mississippi River System

Ethanol plans threaten corn shortage (06-30-06) -- Economists debate whether farmers will be able to keep up with demand for food, feed — and now fuel

MGFA Feed Forum (06-07-06) -- The Minnesota Grain & Feed Association & Ag Star Financial Services is sponsoring a feed forum on Wednesday, June 28, 2006, at the Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel.

Leadership Conference & MGFA Golf Classic (06-07-06) -- The Minnesota Grain & Feed Association is sponsoring a leadership conference on Thursday, July 13, 2006 at the Arrowwood Resort, Alexandria, located on the north shore of beautiful Lake Darling. The conference will begin at noon with a luncheon, including a brief presentation to set the stage for the afternoon leadership program.

16th Annual Red River Valley Golf Classic (06-07-06) -- The 16th Annual Red River Valley Golf Classic, sponsored by the Minnesota Grain & Feed Association, has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 27, 2006, at the Oak Knolls Golf Club, Red Lake Falls (Hwy. 32 South).

Assistance in Complying with New FDA Bioterrorism Recordkeeping Rules (05-17-06) -- Two new guidance documents developed by the National Grain & Feed Association are now available at no charge, to assist grain elevators, feed manufacturers, feed dealers, grain processors and transporters in complying with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) bioterrorism recordkeeping regulations that take effect for many members on June 9, 2006.

AAFCO Board to Vote on ‘Non-Commercial’ Model Feed Law Applying to On-Farm Mixer-Feeders, Integrators (04-24-06) -- The Association of American Feed Control Officials’ (AAFCO) Board of Directors is scheduled to vote in early May on whether to recommend the adoption of a new standalone model feed law that for the first time would expressly authorize states to regulate and conduct random inspections of “non-commercial” feed manufacturers, such as on-farm and integrated livestock and poultry operations that manufacture feed for their own animals.

NIR Machine available for use through MN Soybean Research & Promotion Council (04-24-06) -- The Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council has an NIR machine in their office that they are willing to share with country elevators who are curious about protein and oil values (percentages) in their soybeans.

General Manager Wanted (03-24-06) -- ERSKINE GRAIN TERMINAL, LLC in ERSKINE, MN.

Country Grain Elevator & Feed Mill Operations & Maintenance Workshop Scheduled (03-23-06) -- The Minnesota Grain and Feed Association has assembled an excellent group of presenters and presentations, addressing some of the key operational activities in and around a country grain elevator and feed mill. The topics are geared toward all employees, whether the new kid or the seasoned veteran. We encourage you to seriously consider participating in this very valuable workshop, designed to help improve productivity, safety and understanding.

Grain Inspection Equipment Available (03-23-06) --

Legislative Update (03-23-06) --

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) Schedules a Hearing to Address Rail Fuel Surcharges (03-23-06) -- WASHINGTON – The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) today commended the decision by the federal Surface Transportation Board (STB) to conduct a public hearing on May 11 on rail fuel surcharges.

Towboat's music echoes in St. Paul – Spring Opening of Twin Cities Waterways (03-23-06) -- For deckhands Tom Hanes and Greg Gorgosz, Monday was the first day of spring training.

Americans fearful about food security (03-23-06) -- Guarding the nation's food supply merits more federal spending than protecting against any other potential terrorist target, from airports and rail lines to the electrical power grid and national monuments. That's a key finding of a first-of-its-kind survey -- a representative national sample of 4,200 U.S. residents -- to be released today by University of Minnesota researchers.

Barge Rates Remain High (02-23-06) -- Barge rates on the Mississippi River and tributaries usually decrease after the peak grain shipping season of October through January.

Duluth Seaway Port Authority Reports 2005 Tonnage Increase (02-23-06) -- Total 2005 season waterborne commerce through the Port of Duluth-Superior reached 41.7 million metric tons, a one percent increase from last season's 41.2 million tons and the Port's highest tonnage level reached since 1979's 43.8 million tons.

FRA Has DM&E Application (02-13-06) -- A $2.5 billion loan application to build the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern expansion and reconstruction project is in the hands of the Federal Railroad Administration, DM&E President Kevin Schieffer said.

Grain Elevators Provide a Dangerous High (01-31-06) -- The Bunge, where a woman fell to her death, has long drawn urban climbers.

An Incentive For Farmers: Health Care Aid (01-23-06) -- By promising to sell their grain to Cargill, farmers could get help with health coverage.

DM&E Railroad Expansion Back on Track (01-12-06) -- A plan to upgrade track to haul coal across Minnesota and South Dakota is eligible for a $2.5 billion federal loan.

Elevator Explosion Triggers Outpouring of Help in Vernon Center (01-04-06) -- The new year will bring a new grain elevator to this southern Minnesota town, where two months ago an explosion blew the roof off an elevator.

MGFA 99th Annual Convention & Trade Show (12-23-05) -- Plan to attend the Minnesota Grain & Feed Association 99th Annual Convention and Trade Show set for February 5-7, 2006 at the St. Cloud Civic Center.

Billion-dollar pileup (11-08-05) -- Minnesota's big harvest, combined with damage inflicted in the South by Hurricane Katrina, has snarled Mississippi River barge traffic and left crops stored on the ground.

Grain elevator explodes in Vernon Center (10-25-05) -- The explosion happened about 7:15 a.m. as a tractor-trailer unloaded corn into the nearly full elevator, said Police Chief Kyle Hubert. He speculated that corn dust fueled the explosion.

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