May 26, 1999 - A Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from Lake Benton. Rachel Reabe hosts a discussion about Minnesota's wind farm on Buffalo Ridge and the greater wind-power industry with guests Marlin Thompson, Lake Benton mayor; Jim Nichols, a former agriculture commissioner who now heads economic development efforts for the area; and Audrey Zibelman, director of Energy Marketing for Northern States Power.
September 15, 1990 - DFL Senate primary candidates Paul Wellstone, professor of political science at Carleton College; and Jim Nichols, Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture and a former state senator, debate and answer listener questions.
February 24, 1989 - MPR's Mark Heistad and Tom Meersman present "Poisoned Waters," a documentary about groundwater contamination problems in Minnesota. Documentary contains reports from Lakeland, Northern Township in Beltrami County, New Brighton, and agricultural land in the southeast of state.
May 16, 1988 - On this Midday call-in program, MPR’s Dan Olson interviews Jim Nichols, Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture, about the drought and current farm issues in Minnesota. Nichols also answers listener questions.
August 8, 1986 - MPR’s Mark Steil reports on massive hailstorm that pounded farmland in Lincoln County. Steil interviews famers about the damage from softball-sized hail.
January 28, 1985 - On this Midday call-in program, a discussion with Jim Nichols, Minnesota's Agriculture Commissioner about the impact of farm crisis. Nichol's office has been a very busy one lately coordinating efforts of farmers and legislators to ease the farm debt crisis. Farmers have been organizing in 1985 to a greater degree than at any time since the Great Depression.