MINNEAPOLIS — Questions are being asked about how a 13-year-old boy tragically lost his life on a haunted hayride in central Minnesota. It turns out, there are few state regulations when it comes to fall favorites.

Alexander Mick was killed when he was run over by a tractor-pulled wagon at the Harvest of Horror in St. Augustana on Saturday night.

The tragedy now looms over Minnesota’s famed fall activities.

Peter Marshall is the owner of Peter’s Pumpkins in Shakopee — one of dozens of farms around the metro engaged in agritourism, a growing industry with little oversight.

Marshall says all his safety precautions are from himself.

“It’s a source of joy for us, not only because of the farming of it but also that people have fun,” he said.

Though rare, tragic agritourism incidents are not unprecedented. Last month, dozens of kids were hurt after a hayride overturned at a Wisconsin apple orchard.

Kids, meanwhile, are at risk any time they are around farm equipment. New research shows roughly 115 children die in agricultural-related incidents every year. The vast majority of injuries happen when the kids are not even working.

Casper Bendixsen, the director of the National Farm Medicine Center, says while it is a good thing agritourism is becoming more popular, farmers could use some help when they expand into hospitality.

“There’s a lot at stake. There’s not just the human health of the visitors and the workers, there’s a business at stake and there’s a community at stake,” Bendixsen said.

There is one agritourism law on the books in Minnesota — a statute giving operators limited liability with some exceptions, including negligence.

St. Cloud State University saw an enrollment increase in enrollment of roughly 1%, keeping its student population at roughly 10,000.

The school’s stabilized enrollment comes as the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system announced a system-wide enrollment increase.

St. Cloud State University’s 1% change wasn’t up to par compared to the other Minnesota State universities, which had an average increase of 4.5%. However, St. Cloud Technical and Community College saw a 13.6% increase, for a total enrollment of 4,000 students, above the Minnesota State colleges’ average increase of 9.3%.

Enrollment increases come after Minnesota launched its North Star Promise program to give students whose families have an adjusted gross income of less than $80,000 free college tuition. A Minnesota State Colleges and Universities release states that nearly 12,000 students are reaping the program’s benefits this fall.

“We believe the increase in enrollment was driven by a number of factors,” said Scott Olson, the chancellor of Minnesota State in a release. “Quality academic programs, keeping our colleges and universities the most affordable, most accessible higher education options in the state and outstanding relationships with the communities we serve were clearly among the keys.”

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St. Cloud State University’s stabilized enrollment doesn’t come without consequences left by its enrollment decline from 2010 to 2024, going from 18,000 students to 10,000. The enrollment decline was a main contributor to the university’s economic hardship, resulting in the public institution cutting its program offerings.

Corey Schmidt covers politics and courts for the St. Cloud Times. He can be reached at cschmidt@gannett.com.

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