January - The North Dakota Grain Growers challenges farmers to donate the gross revenue from one acre of wheat or barley to tsunami relief efforts in south Asia.

March - Great River Energy and a Utah-based Headwaters Inc. announce plans for an ethanol plant near Great River's Coal Creek electric power plant.

April - Former Director Lance Hagen is sentenced to two years' probation for embezzling money from the North Dakota Grain Growers Association and the U.S. Durum Growers Association.

May - A team of independent scientists that spent two years studying a management plan for North Dakota's national grasslands says the Forest Service needs better information to guide decisions.

July - Construction begins on the Red Trail Energy ethanol plant at Richardton.

July - Federal Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns comes to the North Dakota State Fair to listen to farmers. Johanns also was in North Dakota in March, to speak at a Republican fundraiser.

August - After complaints, the U.S. Forest Service reverses course on a new policy that barred ranchers who lease land or livestock in the national grasslands from obtaining grazing permits.

August - The Agriculture Department estimates that about 450 cattle statewide have died of anthrax - the worst outbreak in state history.

September - The Agriculture Department estimates production of all wheat in North Dakota at 304 million bushels, down 1 percent from the previous year.

September - Ranchers who support mandatory labeling of beef to show where it was produced start up a new group to represent cattlemen - the Independent Beef Association of North Dakota - separate from the North Dakota Stockmen's Association.

October - Archer Daniels Midland Co. announces plans for a 50 million-gallon-a-year biodiesel plant at Velva, next to ADM's canola crushing plant.

October - Four farmers, the North Dakota Farmers Union and the Dakota Resource Council sue the state over a wheat checkoff increase approved by state lawmakers earlier in the year.

November - North Dakota State University researchers estimate scab disease in wheat and barley cost the state's farm economy $162 million - the second-largest scab-related loss since 1997.

November - The North Dakota Farmers Union announces it will take over development of a biodiesel plant at Minot, after European investors back out.

November - The state Public Service Commission says the amount of grain being stored on the ground at country elevators reaches a record high because of big harvests and a lack of rail cars.

December - A North American Free Trade Agreement panel rejects a final appeal from the North Dakota Wheat Commission over Canadian spring wheat imports, clearing the way for the U.S. government to lift tariffs on grain flowing south across the border.