Agriculture

The Corn Belt will Get Hotter. Farmers Will Have to Adapt.

The nation's largest corn producing region could soon be known as the Extreme Heat Belt.

  • By John McCracken, Grist

How 3 States Are Trying to Help Their Farmers Deal With Drought

Swaths of the country have baked this summer under hot and dry conditions, making it tougher to keep crops growing and livestock healthy. In some cases, state governments are stepping up work with their agriculture sectors in response.

  • By Molly Bolan

Rural Areas in 11 States to Receive $401M for High-speed Internet

The Agriculture Department says the grants and loans will help to improve service for 31,000 customers.

  • By Kery Murakami

To Reduce Harmful Algal Blooms and Dead Zones, the US Needs a National Strategy for Regulating Farm Pollution

COMMENTARY | There is no shortage of solutions to this problem. What’s needed is technological innovation and stronger political will.

  • By Donald Scavia and Donald Boesch, The Conversation

New Program Aims to Help Rural America Tap More Federal Funding

The Biden administration initiative is starting in five states and there are plans to expand it.

  • By Kery Murakami

States Expand Efforts to Squash Spread of Dangerous Insect

The invasive spotted lanternfly kills many crops and trees and can cause a state hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Several states are sounding the alarm and quarantining more counties.

  • By Andre Claudio

Invasive Insects Will Kill 1.4M Trees Across the US

Replacing trees attacked by the East Asian beetle, which has invaded 35 states, could cost $900 million, one report shows.

  • By Andre Claudio

Murder Hornets in US Being Trapped With ‘Sex Spray’

The Asian giant hornet is killing honeybees in the west and may migrate east, which could have a devastating economic impact.

  • By Andre Claudio

With $1.4B in Awards, USDA Seeks to Loosen Grip of ‘Extraction Economy’ on Rural America

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said a new package of loans and grants is meant to help build wealth outside of cities and suburbs.

  • By Kery Murakami

Black Texas Farmers Were on Track To Get Federal Aid. The State’s Ag Commissioner Is Helping Stop That

Sid Miller is challenging a debt relief program that the U.S. Department of Agriculture saw as a way to correct historic discrimination. An advocate for Black Texas farmers says the challenge “pushes us back even further.”

  • By James Pollard, The Texas Tribune

Farmers Markets are Growing Their Role as Essential Sources of Healthy Food For Rich and Poor

COMMENTARY | Many farmers markets enjoyed their strongest-ever sales in 2020.

  • By Edna Ledesma and Alfonso Morales, The Conversation

Wisconsin Doesn’t Have a State Cheese, and Some Lawmakers Think That’s No Gouda

Colby, a cheese created in Wisconsin, could be the state’s first official cheese under a proposal under consideration in the legislature. But some lawmakers have reservations.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram
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The Hemp Boom is Over. What Now?

Farmers facing low hemp CBD prices are storing their plants and hoping to someday sell them for a higher price.

  • By Sophie Quinton, Stateline

Environmentalists Make Long-Shot Attempt to Ban New Factory Farms

It’s becoming clear that some lawmakers no longer see factory farming as a nuisance, but an emergency, as the industry's operations degrade water quality and cause other problems.

  • By Alex Brown, Stateline

Corporate Concentration in the U.S. Food System Makes Food More Expensive and Less Accessible for Many Americans

COMMENTARY | Consolidation has placed key decisions about the nation’s food system in the hands of a few large companies, giving them outsized influence.

  • By Philip H. Howard and Mary Hendrickson, The Conversation

Farmers Can be Isolated and Unsure How to Seek Support. One State is Trying to Help.

Farmers in Wisconsin can access a 24-hour hotline, free counseling and, soon, virtual support groups. It's all part of a state-funded wellness program focused on the agricultural community.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

USDA Makes New Move in Broad Effort to Bring Innovative Tech to America’s Farmers

The agriculture-focused agency wants public input on potentially disruptive ideas that could be ready to be implemented.

  • By Brandi Vincent

Parts of Iowa Still Reeling From Powerful Storms, as State Battles Rise in Coronavirus

A derecho with winds over 100 mph struck the state last month, causing widespread damage and coming on top of the pandemic.

  • By Bill Lucia

States and Counties Mandate Covid-19 Testing for Farm Workers

A handful of states and counties are requiring Covid-19 testing for farm and food-processing workers after several clusters of positive cases were traced back to agricultural facilities.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

States Warn Residents About Unsolicited Seed Packages Sent From China

People have received the mysterious shipments in at least 22 states. The seeds could pose threats to the environment and agriculture. Federal authorities are investigating.

  • By Bill Lucia

State Fairs Are the Latest Casualty of Covid-19

At least 15 states have canceled their annual fairs due to public health concerns amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, while others are moving ahead with modified, pared-down events.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram