Kevin Schulz

Minnesota

Editor at The Farmer

Editor at Farm Progress

Take what I do, but not who I am, very seriously. A wordschmidt through and through.

Articles

Minnesota FFA wraps up successful convention

6 days ago | farmprogress.com | Kevin Schulz

ANNUAL GATHERING: The Minnesota FFA Convention wrapped up April 29, culminating at the University of Minnesota’s 3M Arena at Mariucci on the Minneapolis campus. Kevin SchulzAnother successful Minnesota FFA Convention wrapped up April 29, culminating at the University of Minnesota’s 3M Arena at Mariucci on the Minneapolis campus. This year’s convention theme was “Stand As One,” signifying the importance of FFA members from across the state working together for the greater good.
Olivia Vorpagel communicating her way to the top

1 week ago | farmprogress.com | Kevin Schulz

PROFICIENT COMMUNICATOR: Olivia Vorpagel, a sophomore from the Southland FFA chapter, has been working for Walton Webcasting since 2022, and that experience earned her the Agricultural Communications Proficiency Award at the Minnesota FFA Convention. Kevin SchulzGrowing up on a show pig farm near Adams in Mower County, Minn., it was never a question whether Olivia Vorpagel would be working in agriculture.
Research aims to answer questions on H5N1 leap between species

1 week ago | farmprogress.com | Kevin Schulz

Highly pathogenic avian influenza has created a lot of headaches and heartache, not to mention a financial burden, for U.S. poultry producers since its 2014-15 outbreak. As HPAI and influenza A virus subtype H5N1 continue to ravage various species of mammals, the concern has reached more livestock producers, as the virus made the leap to dairy cattle in early 2024. Minnesota’s first dairy detection came in June.
Is Minnesota windier than in the past?

2 weeks ago | farmprogress.com | Kevin Schulz

Kenny Blumenfeld has heard the question from people such as farmers, foresters and construction workers who work outside: “Has it gotten windier in the past few years compared to the past?”Blumenfeld, a senior climatologist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, says that question actually has two answers. “We’ve heard from a lot of people who work outside, or people who spend a lot of time outside, over the last decade or so that they’re wondering, is it getting windier?
Farmer organizations file to intervene in activist litigation

3 weeks ago | farmprogress.com | Kevin Schulz

Protecting the state’s water is a group effort, and while some groups feel not enough is being done, a coalition of Minnesota farmer organizations is fighting back.
Challenging year results in low net farm income

1 month ago | farmprogress.com | Kevin Schulz

Low income no surprise with weather challenges and prevent-planting that blanketed most of the state. A snapshot of Minnesota agriculture paints a bleak picture for the state’s farmers. According to data from the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State, median farm income for the state dropped to $21,964 in 2024, the lowest level in this century.
Pigs weaned per litter strong, but dip from last report

1 month ago | farmprogress.com | Kevin Schulz

U.S. hog producers continue to do a great job of getting pigs out of the farrowing room, as the most recent Hogs & Pigs Report shows they weaned an average of 11.65 pigs per litter between December and February. However, the upward trajectory that pigs weaned per litter had been on has ebbed a tad, as that number is down from the 11.92 noted in the quarterly report that came out at the end of December.
Despite challenges, agriculture has a lot to celebrate

1 month ago | farmprogress.com | Kevin Schulz

Minnesota farmers are good at what they do, regardless of what commodity they are producing. The state ranks in the top 10 in more than 20 ag products, with four coming on top in the country: sugar beets, turkeys raised, green peas and sweet corn for processing. Minnesota ranks No. 2 in hogs, wild rice, dry edible beans and spring wheat. The state’s farmers raise enough soybeans, sunflowers, canola, dry beans and oats to come in third in the nation in each of those commodities. You get the idea.
Minnesota soil health improvements start to turn heads

1 month ago | farmprogress.com | Kevin Schulz

Jon Stevens doesn’t claim to be an expert, but he likes sharing his life’s journey and, more specifically, the soil health journey. His farm near Rock Creek in Pine County, Minn., is “blessed” with “the garbage that glaciers left” centuries ago. “We’ve got about 9 inches in some spots of silty loam clay.
Courage to change things you can

1 month ago | farmprogress.com | Kevin Schulz

PLAN AHEAD: When asked what farmers plan to do in the next year, one producer said he plans to build more on-farm grain storage to be able to take advantage of grain marketing opportunities as they arise.