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Radio Transcript from Minnesota Farm Network, On the Farm radio show with Tom Rothman

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Too many people read the top line of the US Census data showing rural Minnesota losing population and make judgments about the vitality of rural communities. Fortunately, Dick Senese, Associate Dean of the University of Minnesota Extension's Center for Community Vitality, dug deeper into the numbers and found three points worth remembering...

Radio Transcript from Minnesota Farm Network, On the Farm radio show with Tom Rothman

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This is Bev Durgan on the Farm. Governor Mark Dayton declared September as Farm to School Month in Minnesota. The phrase "farm to school" refers to programs that encourage schools to use more local foods in their cafeterias and encourage teachers to include food and agriculture in their lesson plans.

Radio Transcript from Minnesota Farm Network, On the Farm radio show with Tom Rothman

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This is Bev Durgan on the Farm. State and federal funding for agricultural research and extension is declining.

The long term solution is to increase public support for the impact farming and agricultural research and extension have on our economy, our communities and our quality of life. The short term solution is to managing these declining funds to increase efficiency and reduce the impact of scarce government dollars.

Radio Transcript from Minnesota Farm Network, On the Farm radio show with Tom Rothman

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This summer a new leader is taking of the presidency of the University of Minnesota. His name is Eric Kaler. Kaler received a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota in 1982 and this summer he moved back to Minnesota to become the sixteenth president of our land grant university.

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Modern Minnesota agriculture got its start when a few courageous families moved out on the prairie. They lived in sod houses, faced fierce blizzards and struggled to survive on their newly homesteaded land. Those pioneer families made decisions that laid the foundation for agriculture becoming a leading factor in Minnesota's economy.

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Much of what we hear about the economy these days is gloom and doom with the media focused on the state and federal budget situation. The good news does not get enough attention.

Radio Transcript from Minnesota Farm Network, On the Farm radio show with Tom Rothman

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This is Bev Durgan 'On the Farm.' It is graduation time. A common question at graduation parties is: "So, what are you going to do next?" Some young people have solid career plans. Others are still deciding.

I have some advice for young people planning their careers: Think agriculture. Agriculture is a bright spot in our troubled economy. Agricultural companies are doing well and they are hiring.