This week Rural MN Radio is the first of a three-part conversation with former legislator and current CRPD board member Steve Wenzel. After many years in the state legislator, as state director for the USDA, and teaching political science at Central Lakes College in Brainerd, Steve is sharing some insight regarding this year’s election.

An interview with Steve Wenzel, part 1

In this episode, Jim continues his conversation with Tim Velde, a Granite Falls-area farmer and member of the CRPD board of directors, on rural electric co-ops, including some of the history of rural electrification and some uncertainties cropping up with new policies in Washington.

Rural electric co-ops continued

This week on Rural MN Radio, Jim talks with Tim Velde, a Yellow Medicine County farmer and CRPD board member, about speaking to officials in Washington about rural electric coops.

Rural electric co-ops

This week on Rural MN Radio, Jim talks with CRPD board member and Minnesota Farm Bureau president Kevin Paap on a couple of related issues: the supply of rail cars and the supply of propane.

Trouble with trains

Are we looking at a farmland bubble these days? This week on Rural MN Radio, Andy Huneke of AgStar Financial Services talks about what happens to the run-up in the price of ag land now that grain prices are falling and whether we should be concerned.

Ag land value in a time of falling grain prices

Tourism isn’t important just to the individual community. When people visit a place, they look around to see what else is going on in the area. This week on Rural MN Radio, Jim and Marnie talk with Cynthia Messer, an Extension educator and tourism specialist with the U of M Extension’s Tourism Center, about the impact of tourism in rural Minnesota and the importance of working regionally.

Thinking regionally with tourism