http://www.the-land.com en-us Copyright CNHI All Rights Reserved. 5 Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:16:00 +0000 http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_347120225.html http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_347120225.html Nowadays it seems like we Christians are being forced to accommodate those of other religions, and that we should be ashamed to tell someone “Merry Christmas” lest we offend them. Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:15:00 +0000 http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_347154057.html http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_347154057.html If recent conversations with elevator managers and farmers are even slightly predictive, it’s gonna’ be a long, cold winter in corn and soybean country because the majority of 2008 grain, they say, is — gulp — unpriced. Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:14:00 +0000 http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_347112607.html http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_347112607.html Before y’all go gettin’ cheery-cheeked and weepy-eyed for Christmas, Old Scrooge here has some sour facts that will be waitin’ for you on the backside of the holiday season. Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:13:00 +0000 http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_347112132.html http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_347112132.html Gene Hugoson makes the claim that the overriding concern of Minnesota livestock farmers is permitting issues. By this he means local control is problematic. Once again he is beating the drum for corporate ag-backed factory farms. Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:12:00 +0000 http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_347112402.html http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_347112402.html It looks to me like the cheap food policy that was adopted by the powers-to-be in the early 1950s is still at work today. Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:11:00 +0000 http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_347111903.html http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_347111903.html During this holiday season, Minnesota farmers can be thankful that for the most part, our state agriculture economy does not seem to be experiencing the same level of crisis as other portions of the nation’s economy. Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:10:00 +0000 http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_347111650.html http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_347111650.html The World Bank is warning of “climate chaos” and demands a rebuilding of the world’s agricultural science centers to keep everyone fed. The basic message is right on target, even if it is swathed in climate hype. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:22:00 +0000 http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_339180019.html http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_339180019.html I am a worrier by nature. I come from a long line of worriers. My mother is a worrier, my grandma is a worrier and I can safely assume that my great-grandmother was a worrier, too. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:21:00 +0000 http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_339175708.html http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_339175708.html House and Senate aggies who fought the very idea of global warming — let alone federal policy to address it — either fell to defeat or fell so far down the cistern that neither will be seen for, oh, at least two years. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:21:00 +0000 http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_339175452.html http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_339175452.html To paraphrase one of the masters of the English language, Yogi Berra, I can’t remember the first Thanksgiving I remember but I remember at least three after that. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:20:00 +0000 http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_339173813.html http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_339173813.html It is much harder to commit the rest of your life to a child who was born into the worst of circumstances and hasn’t come through undamaged. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:20:00 +0000 http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_339174856.html http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_339174856.html Whether gay or straight, single or married, anyone who is willing and able to love, support and raise a child should be encouraged to do so — not filtered out of the system as “unacceptable.” Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:20:00 +0000 http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_339173557.html http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_339173557.html What an excellent column... Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:19:00 +0000 http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_339173345.html http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_339173345.html The dairy industry is one of the most unique industries in the world. Diversity is one of the great aspects about it. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:19:00 +0000 http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_339173134.html http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_339173134.html The price of carbon has slumped in Europe’s emission trading — for the second time in two years. The carbon price is meant to offset the economic cost of shifting from coal, gas and oil to non-fossil energy. If the carbon price is too cheap, however, “greens” worry we won’t stop burning the fossil fuels.