Craig Sheaffer, Extension Agronomist, and Katrina Freund Saxhaug, Research Scientist, Department of Horticultural Science A field of purple coneflower grown in monoculture Production of purple coneflower ( Echinacea purpurea Moench) in mixture with native grasses and forbs on agriculture landscapes has potential to supply ecosystem services such as pollinator habitat, carbon sequestration, and soil stabilization. Ecological uses could be promoted by revenue streams from phytochemicals, seed, and biomass. Purple coneflower is a native perennial plant widely distributed in prairies throughout the Midwest. It is also grown as an ornamental plant in gardens. Medicinal use Purple coneflower was used as a medicinal plant by Native Americans and knowledge of its benefits was passed on to colonists. It was used to treat snakebites, wounds, toothaches, and respiratory illnesses. A product containing purple coneflower, Meyers Blood Purifier, was marketed in the late 1800’s as treatment for
It is easy to deliver soybeans to a local elevator, receive a check, and not put another thought into where those soybeans go. But, the demand for those soybeans is what creates the price. Understanding who buys our soybeans and what they are used for helps us all better understand what direction prices may go in the future. Gordon Denny has been a farm kid from southern Indiana, a Marine, and a long-term employee with Bunge. Today he is a knowledge center for the radical changes occurring in the global demand for soybeans and other oilseeds. With increased demand for vegetable oils for renewable diesel, a rapid increase in soybean processing is occurring in the U.S. A near-term increase in soybean processing of around 25% will have radical implications for the supply of oil, soybean meal, and whole soybeans for both domestic and international utilization. In this episode of Minnesota CropCast, Gordon helps us to better understand how the soybean world got to this place, and where it