Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Farm bill progress stalls
  It's been a bad summer for many farmers, and Congress is struggling to pass a new farm bill and possibly come up with disaster aid for farmers whose crops have withered in the field.4:49 p.m.
• Local officials: FEMA decision a 'travesty'
  The state of Minnesota says it's going to fight the Federal Emergency Management Agency decision to deny individual homeowner assistance to the victims of this summer's flooding in and around Duluth.5:20 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• USDA Predicts Food Prices To Rise In Drought's Wake
  The USDA released its latest forecast on retail food prices on Wednesday. The drought is expected to affect prices for corn, and beef and poultry prices are expected to rise as much as 4.5 percent this year, but it's too soon to know exactly how much it will affect consumer's wallets.
• Meat Producers And, Ultimately, Consumers Hurt By Drought
  The crops taking the worst hit from the current drought are the ones we feed to animals, like corn. Higher corn prices mean it can cost more to feed pigs and cattle than they will fetch at market, meaning higher meat prices for all.
• Black Business Owners Urge Obama To Aid Growth
  President Obama's speech to the National Urban League in New Orleans comes amid a debate over the role of government in helping small businesses succeed. Some entrepreneurs in the black community say government's role is especially important for fledgling minority businesses with little capital.
• For Ai Weiwei, Politics And Arts Always Mix
  Alison Klayman's documentary Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry shows the famous Chinese artist's struggle against authorities. Klayman spoke to NPR's Robert Siegel about her film as well as Ai's artwork and politics.
• 'Shadow State' Forms In Syria As Regime Recedes
  As the Syrian regime recedes, a new state is forming among villages controlled by rebels in northern Syria. They are filling in the blanks with their own hospitals, courts and other institutions. The goal is to provide better governance, not just aid to rebels. But is it better than before? (This piece initially aired July 25, 2012, on Morning Edition.)
• Why Isn't The U.S. More Involved In Syria's Uprising?
  Robert Siegel talks to Washington Post columnist David Ignatius about how the Obama Administration foresees the future of the crisis in Syria.
• California's Jerry Brown: Water Tunnel Shows 'I Want To Get [Stuff] Done'
  Brown expressed his frustration with what's become an intractable problem by dropping a four-letter expletive.
• Under Pressure, Universities Try Reining In Football
  University of Miami president Donna Shalala has attempted to reset the balance between football and academics at the school better known as "Suntan U." But despite significant improvement in the academic culture on campus, Miami's football program is once again embroiled in scandal and under investigation by the NCAA. The governing body is calling on college presidents to provide greater oversight of big time sports. That request is being met with skepticism by observers, who wonder if repeat offenders like Miami will ever really change.
• The Practical Side Of The Great American Jam Band
  Filled with press clippings, newsletters and receipts, the new Grateful Dead Archive at the University of California, Santa Cruz, reveals that rock 'n' roll's quintessential hippies were also savvy businessmen.
• Geithner Defends Response To LIBOR Scandal
  Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was on Capitol Hill Wednesday to talk about the implementation of Dodd Frank. But the questions focused on why the New York Fed, under Geithner, didn't act more aggressively when it first learned about possible manipulation of a key interest rate.

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