Minnesota Crop Production Retailers

News & Information

CNN in Minnesota
MCPR Board Chairman Craig Maurer, agronomy manager at Northfield for Central Valley Cooperative (CVC), joining one of CVC’s customers near Northfield to explain Minnesota agricultures’ use of variable rate technology and precision ag to a CNN writer/reporter who was investigating agriculture’s contribution to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.

Pesticides cause ADHD in kids?
A new study, “Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Urinary Metabolites of Organophosphate Pesticides,” was reported in the June print issue of Pediatrics (published online May 17), asserts a connection between exposure to high levels of pesticides and the development of ADHD. The study focused on 1,139 children and measured pesticide levels in urine samples. The authors concluded that organophosphate exposure, at levels common among U.S. children, may contribute to a diagnosis of ADHD.
Read the CropLife America fact sheet on the study

Star Tribune Article - "Spring, and a farmer's fancy turns to...manure."
In an opinion piece in the May 7 Star Tribune, University of Minnesota Associate Dean Mike Schmitt explains that the word “manure” may bring up some unfortunate associations, but the benefits of this animal product are a very fortunate example of recycling in Minnesota.

MCPR's Nitrogen P.R. Program
MCPR introduced a program to encourage retailers to participate in a PR program that promoted knowledge of the proper application of Nitrogen with their customers, promoted retailers as leaders in the proper agronomic and environmental utilization of Nitrogen, and increased the retailer’s visibility with customers. To learn about this exciting program, read below:
Description of the MCPR fall Nitrogen P.R. Program
Nitrogen fall P.R. program info to provide to your radio stations
Nitrogen P.R. Program soil temperature form to complete daily and provide to your radio stations.
Weekly soil temps and pan evaporation rates at U of MN reserach centers.

Benefits of Pesticides report.
View a new Crop Life America report on the benefits of pesticides.

MCPR Acts to Confront Untenable rail pricing and service!
The Minnesota Crop Production Retailers is a member of the Gopher Consumers United for Rail Equity (CURE) coalition, a statewide chapter of a national coalition working to address the captive rail shipper issue. Why? MCPR members heavily depend on the movement of goods by rail. Without access to competition for freight delivery, MCPR members have become captive shippers to certain railroads and experience crippling cost increases and jeopardized service
Learn about "Gopher CURE", a coalition of organizations working hard to address the capitve rail problem!
Fact sheet on captive rail shipping.