Minnesota Farmers Balance Environment and Budgets

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Farmers in Minnesota are working to balance heightened expectations for environmental stewardship and the day-to-day challenges of operating a farm.

Minnesota Public Radio reports that three-quarters of the state's cropland grows corn and soybeans. Those crops come with greenhouse gas emissions, water quality degradation and soil erosion.

Farmers want to build healthy soils that can withstand heat, drought and heavy rain but struggle to justify the extra cost.

Scott Haase has farms in Blue Earth. He planted cover crops this year that cost an extra $30 an acre. He says his field is looking healthier than a neighbor's field, but it's unclear how that will benefit the farm financially.

Scott's father Ken Haase says it's difficult to make changes after spending more than four decades farming.

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