In addition, farmers, ranchers and American consumers are concerned that using corn as an alternative fuel source drives up food and animal feed prices. For these reasons, the conversion of switchgrass to fuel can be far more energy efficient than the conversion of corn to fuel. Switchgrass and other varieties of perennial prairie grasses, which grow naturally in Oklahoma, are relatively drought resistant, require modest amounts of energy-intensive fertilizers and regenerate yearly. In...

The companies that like to buy these crops like them at a very specific moisture level, and so this past week's wetness means farmers will have to spend extra time, labor, and fuel costs drying their grain out in grain dryers. But damage like that isn't the only worry -- moisture itself is a problem right now, for rice as well as for corn, soybeans, and anything else being harvested. Water is essential for rice crops -- but as with so many things in life -- timing may be even more...

Top each loaf with half a strip of bacon and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 160 degrees with an instant-read thermometer. His passion for learning and dedication to the culinary arts helped him earn the position of Executive Chef, a position he has held since October 2004. Add the corn niblets and saut for another minute, then add the arugula and allow it to wilt. My guiding principle with food is to retain and highlight the flavors of each...

The stock market took an absolute beating on Friday's horrific employment data - the worst in four years - and the biggest overreaction to a report in a long time! The employment is notorious for being unpredictable and often sees backward revisions greater than the actual original numbers come next month. The stock market took an absolute beating on Friday's horrific employment data - the worst in four years - and the biggest overreaction to a report in a long time! The employment is...

By The Associated Press ABERDEEN - Contracts for some Conservation Reserve Program land expire at the end of the month, but high grain prices might mean farmers will sign up fewer acres in the voluntary program, according to Doug Farrand of the Natural Resources Conservation District in Aberdeen. By The Associated Press ABERDEEN - Contracts for some Conservation Reserve Program land expire at the end of the month, but high grain prices might mean farmers will sign up fewer acres in the...

DHS rules issued in April warned that any facility that stores significant amounts of chemicals would need to register with the government and do risk-assessment evaluations. In the mid-1980s, Minnesota's Gold'n Plump Chickens gained national attention for television advertisements featuring combat-ready, helmeted birds driving tanks or parachuting from airplanes. Farmers who use propane to dry grain could also be affected. Yet if the proposed rules stand, he'd have to figure out his...