Curt Nyegaard on Northwestern Minnesota farm crisis

Types | Interviews | Grants | Legacy Amendment Digitization (2016-2017) |
Listen: Curt Nyegaard on Northwestern Minnesota farm crisis
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Grain farmers in the Red River Valley are facing an economic crisis that's been years in the making. Disease, pests and five straight seasons of wet weather have devastated crops. Falling prices have left some farmers without enough cash on hand to even plant this year. Lawmakers will be in Northwestern Minnesota tomorrow to discuss the problem. Curt Nyegaard is an extension educator in Kittson County. He blames the crisis in part on 1980s farm policy which made it hard to rotate crops and required farmers to leave crop residue on their land after harvest to stem erosion. Such practices fostered the spread of crop disease.

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In 2008, Minnesota's voters passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment to the Minnesota Constitution: to protect drinking water sources; to protect, enhance, and restore wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife habitat; to preserve arts and cultural heritage; to support parks and trails; and to protect, enhance, and restore lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater.

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