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CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Dig out your squidgy mop, a few pots and pans — or a robotic vacuum if you have one — and a pair of slippers.

Agriculture is a building block of nations. The United States Department of Agriculture reports 22.1 million full-and part-time jobs were related to the agricultural and food sectors in 2022, representing 10.4 percent of total U.S. employment. Statistics Canada reports agriculture in Canada employed around 280,000 people as of 2023.

The agricultural sector is built on plants and animal life, but the industry can still affect the environment in ways that contribute to the ill effects of climate change. According to data published in a 2022 report from McKinsey & Company, agriculture accounts for nearly one-quarter of global emissions, and was identified as the industry that contributes the most to exceeding planetary boundaries. Sustainable farming practices can help reduce that impact.

Limited resources in the agricultural sector are common pressure points for modern farm operations. Whether the resource is land, labor, water, or capital, lack of assets can cause strain. But there are practical ways to ease the pressure, and most solutions work best when combined with other methods.

Soil degradation is an environmental concern that occurs when land becomes less fit for a specific purpose, like crop production. As the soil loses nutrients, namely phosphorous, nitrogen and potassium, crop yields can decline significantly, compounding the problem of food shortages resulting from a growing global population.

If you want healthy food, experts say to eat what’s local, organic and in-season. Those foods benefit the planet too, because they are less taxing on the soil and they don’t travel as far.

The pursuit of a gold medal that has eluded the U.S. men’s hockey team since the “Miracle on Ice” in 1980 appears to be on sound footing.

West Fargo, ND - Barley growers in Ramsey County are being urged to participate in the election of a county representative for the North Dakota Barley Council.

February is Black History Month. In North Dakota, the African American population has grown, though historically the numbers were few. But there have been African Americans in the state as long as there have been white people. Early records indicate that the earliest came as slaves of explorers and traders. In fact, the first non-Native born here was African American.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A lawyer for the immigration officer who shot and killed Renee Good dropped out of the Minnesota governor race Monday, breaking with many fellow Republicans and calling President Donald Trump’s immigration operation in the state an “unmitigated disaster.”