Reports & Publications

Susan grew up on a small farming acreage that had a variety of animals and crops. She got interested in farming when she was in 4-H and FFA in Minnesota.

Susan creció en una pequeña zona agrícola donde tenía una variedad de animales y cultivos. Se interesó en la agricultura cuando estaba en 4-H y FFA en Minnesota. Se casó con un granjero y se mudaron a Nebraska. Juntos querían continuar con su amor por la agricultura, lo que los llevó a crear Littlefield Family Farm.

John was born into a farming family. He took a break for a few years during his time with the military, but farming has always been an interest. He appreciates farming because it is both challenging and rewarding.

John nació en una familia de agricultores. Se tomó un descanso durante algunos años mientras estuvo en el ejército, pero la agricultura siempre ha sido de su interés. Aprecia la agricultura porque es a la vez desafiante y gratificante.

Wind electricity generation has grown significantly, with total annual U.S. electricity generation from wind energy increasing from about 6 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) in 2000 to about 380 billion kWh in 2021. Decreasing wind turbine installation costs over the past decade have created more...

Solar energy installations are more common than ever before, with the industry continuing to see steady growth nationwide. Across Minnesota, there is considerable potential for residential, community, and utility-scale solar projects.

Las instalaciones de energía solar son más comunes que nunca y la industria continúa experimentando un crecimiento constante en todo el país. En todo Minnesota, existe un potencial considerable para proyectos solares residenciales, comunitarios y de servicios públicos.

Consulte la última edición de Small Business News, repleta de recursos para emprendedores, quienes buscan ser dueños de su propio negocio y gerentes de pequeñas empresas.

The U.S. is in the beginning stages of a major expansion in the solar energy industry. The Department of Energy’s Solar Futures study estimates that to fully decarbonize the energy grid, solar will need to make up 40% to 45% of the energy mix, or about 1,600 gigawatts (GW), of capacity by 2050. That...

Check out the latest edition of our Small Business News packed full of resources for entrepreneurs, those looking to own their own business, and small business managers.

Editor's note: Last month, I had the pleasure of interviewing our 2023 Seventh Generation Award winners, Larry Harris and Denise O’Brien. I visited them on their farm north of Atlantic, Iowa, where we talked for two hours at their kitchen table, surrounded by memories. After hearing their story, I told them I was in awe with all that they’ve done.

Solar energy is on the rise, with an estimated 10.3 million acres projected to be used for solar energy production by 2050, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. An expected 90% of solar siting will occur in rural communities. Agrisolar, also referred to as agrivoltaics, is the co-location of...

The Rural Energy for America Program provides loans and grants to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or energy efficiency improvements. Eligible recipients Agricultural producers Small businesses in areas with populations of fewer than 50,000 Private for...

Para la versión en español, por favor oprima aquí . Passing land on to the next generation of farmers and ranchers can be critical to the success of an operation. As the average age of landowners and operators continues to rise, transition planning becomes increasingly important. One mechanism to...

Pasar la tierra a la próxima generación de agricultores y ganaderos puede ser fundamental para el éxito de una operación. A medida que la edad promedio de los propietarios y operadores de tierras sigue aumentando, la planificación de la transición se vuelve cada vez más importante. Un mecanismo para...

Para la versión en español, por favor oprima aquí . Passing land on to the next generation of farmers and ranchers can be critical to the success of an operation. As the average age of landowners and operators continues to rise, transition planning becomes increasingly important. One mechanism to...

Pasar la tierra a la próxima generación de agricultores y ganaderos puede ser fundamental para el éxito de una operación. A medida que la edad promedio de los propietarios y operadores de tierras sigue aumentando, la planificación de la transición se vuelve cada vez más importante. Un mecanismo para...

Federal crop insurance is an important risk management tool for many farmers and ranchers. Coverage allows them to protect the finances of their operations from the impacts of low yields or fluctuations in market prices. However, for specialty, organic, or diversified producers, it may be...

El seguro federal de cultivos es una herramienta importante de administración de riesgos para muchos agricultores y ganaderos. La cobertura permite proteger las finanzas de sus operaciones de los impactos de bajos rendimientos o fluctuaciones en los precios de mercado. Sin embargo, para los...

Certified organic production is on the rise, with more operations transitioning from conventional to organic each year. In 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) established the multi-agency Organic Transition Initiative to support farmers who are converting to organic and to strengthen...