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…
NORTH DAKOTA (KVRR) — A food assistance program is ensuring K-12 students across North Dakota are staying fed while learning from home. “The program is brand new; it was never in effect until this last year after the COVID emergency was announced,” North Dakota Department of Public Instruction’s Director of Child Nutrition Linda Schloer said. Director of Child Nutrition at…
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack was confirmed by the Senate this week as the next Agriculture Secretary, a job he held previously for 8 years. Minnesota and North Dakota lawmakers were asked about what’s in store for agriculture under the Biden administration. In a 92-7 vote Tuesday, Vilsack was confirmed to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture….
FARGO, N.D.–The Great Plains Food Bank is helping to facilitate the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families Food Box program. The program supports struggling farmers who have a surplus of food and hungry people impacted by COVID-19. The USDA has allocated up to $3 billion to purchase food from farmers that would otherwise be left in the fields or…
FARGO, N.D.–The YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties will begin distributing free meals to children on Monday, April 13. The YMCA is partnering with the State of North Dakota and U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide the meals to children ages 18 and younger. The meals will consists of supper and a snack. Suppers will include a protein, grain, vegetable,…
