Land remains a good spot to park spare cash

Land remains a “safe deposit box with a view” for the ultra-wealthy, according to the publication 2013 Land Report 100, an annual survey and ranking of the largest private landowners in the United States. It says that in 2012, the country’s top 100 landowners cumulatively increased their private holdings by 700,000 acres to a total

Montana hog plant envisioned near border

Montana pork producers are taking a wait-and-see approach in regard to a new pork-processing plant at Shelby that could draw large numbers of Canadian hogs. Governor Brian Schweitzer announced in February that Chinese investors were interested in developing a facility capable of processing 800,000 pigs. But additional details are scarce. “At this point there’s no



Iowa’s Harkin remains chair Senate ag

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin will remain as chairman of the Agriculture Committee when the Senate reorganizes in January, Democratic leaders said last month. Harkin was Agriculture chairman during passage of the 2002 and 2008 farm laws. He backed a provision in the 2002 law that rewards stewardship of “working” farmland and in the 2008 law