Members of the North Dakota House of Representatives participate in a special session of the Legislature on Jan. 22, 2026. (Photo by Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — The Republican Party of North Dakota’s District 20 has selected Larimore farmer Dave Rustebakke to fill a House seat vacated earlier this year. Rustebakke has not held elected office…
The former Red Trail Energy ethanol plant at Richardton, North Dakota, is now owned by Gevo. It produces low-carbon fuel. (Photo courtesy of Red Trail Energy)RICHARDTON, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — Gevo, the company that purchased the former Red Trail Energy ethanol plant in Richardton, North Dakota, announced this week it will double production capacity at the site. Gevo will…
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, speaking at a Future Farmers of America event Aug. 18, 2025 at the Tennessee State Fair. (Photo by John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)WASHINGTON (North Dakota Monitor) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture will transfer a large office building to the General Services Administration in a step toward shrinking the department’s footprint in and around Washington, D.C., Secretary…
FARGO (North Dakota Monitor) — North Dakota farmers will be without a key federal crop insurance option this year as they prepare for spring planting. As part of federally subsidized crop insurance, farmers are insured when the weather prevents them from planting a crop. If the farmer can’t plant, they can collect on that part of the insurance policy, known…
Beans are harvested in September 2025 near Hamberg, North Dakota. (Photo by Lora Wobbema/For the North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — North Dakota’s farmers are looking for higher profits but things may get worse before they get better, ag industry experts say. The U.S. Department of Agriculture in December announced its Farmer Bridge Assistance, a payment program to help farmers…
BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR-KFGO) – North Dakota is one of a dozen states limiting what can be purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins approved North Dakota’s application for a SNAP food-choice waiver under the Make America Healthy Again initiative. The waivers will amend the statutory definition of “food for purchase” under SNAP beginning…
Rebecca Phillips of Ecological Insights, shown in July 2024 in Burleigh County, conducts agriculture research in North Dakota but is awaiting federal payments on some of her work. (Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor)HAZELTON, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — A North Dakota ag and conservation researcher is unsure if she will be able to complete some projects — or start new ones…
Students eating lunch at Carl Ben Eielson Middle School in Fargo. (North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — A day after rejecting free school meals for all North Dakota K-12 students, House members on Tuesday slightly increased the number of students who qualify for free lunch. Within House Bill 1013, the budget bill for the Department of Public Instruction, students…
MOORHEAD, Minn. (KVRR) – A new farmer-advocate group called Go Farm Connect is looking to equip the next generation of farmers for the future. While partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, they plan to bring an introduction to new farmers on farm loans, grants, insurance and disaster assistance. And this isn’t just for English speaking people, as they will…
COTTONWOOD CO., Minn. (AP) — A Minnesota farmer is accused of making $46 million by passing off chemically treated corn and soybeans as organically grown. James Wolf was charged July 7 in federal court with felony wire fraud. Prosecutors say Wolf falsely labeled crops grown on his rural Cottonwood County farm as organic and that he defrauded grain buyers and…
