Rural communities are counted on to help feed, clothe, house, and provide energy to a growing global population. From the farm bill to the farmstead, our team is here to keep you up to date on the latest agriculture news.
USDA Program Recognizes Indigenous Food Ways
The Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative promotes recipes and videos designed, researched, and tested to adhere to Indigenous beliefs and dietary needs.
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Bland Midwestern Fare? Not Here.
Both the Midwest, where chef Abra Berens grew up, and the UK, where she trained in culinary arts, have a reputation for bland food. However Berens’ menu — served in a greenhouse on-farm — proves that local, seasonal flavors are anything but.
Montana Wants to Be the Next Wine Country
The Big Sky State has a dedicated group of winemakers working with unique hybrid grapes resistant to the state’s harsh weather. But even with the science making progress, Montana still needs its lawmakers’ to give the nascent industry more support.
Shifting the Focus to Local Food
Wisconsin farmers join together to get healthy food to people in their region.
‘Big Chicken’ Merger Moves ahead Despite Investigations by the Biden Administration
Two of the largest poultry processing companies in the country, Wayne Farms and Sanderson Farms, will soon be merged to create one corporation amid a DOJ antitrust lawsuit against the companies. One expert fears the lawsuit won’t do enough to stop the merger from overpowering the chicken industry.
Workers Suffer, Die While Awaiting Better Heat-Safety Rules, Advocates Say
The number of heat-related worker deaths has doubled since the early 1990s. Federal legislation is stalled, and new rules from OSHA will take years to enact.
Yes We Can: The Rise, Fall, and Potential Rebirth of Municipal Canning
Public canneries used to cover the countryside, giving gardeners, cooks, and small farmers ready options to preserve homegrown produce. Few remain today, but some local leaders are charting a new, entrepreneurial era in canning.
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Experts: Climate Change Will Affect Health of Farm Workers
Rural populations may find these dangers more deadly, as access to healthcare and the nature of hard, physical labor add to the severity of climate-related ailments.
Aging Farmers Are at Greater Risk of Suicide, Study Finds
One third of farmers and ranchers are 65 or older, but they represent nearly half of the farmers and ranchers who die by suicide. Farmers may be less likely to share information that indicates they are at risk.
Commentary: When Ingolf’s Question Went Unanswered
In the midst of the 1980s farm crisis, presidential candidate George H.W. Bush wanted to talk to Iowans about foreign policy. When a farmer asked about something closer to home, the Secret Service gave him a chuckle and an escort out of town.
As Temperatures Rise, Farms Are Sprouting in Alaska
Even as farms decline across the US, a longer growing season is bringing food security to a state that has long relied on sustenance from afar.
‘Land Rich, Cash Poor’ – How Black Americans Lost Some of the Most Desirable Land in the U.S.
Developers and others have used the complexities of heirs’ property ownership to force the sale of family-owned land, generating wealth for some and a paucity for others. Black Americans on the Southeast Coast who have had less access to courts and legal advice have been the frequent victims.
Fertilizer Industry and Farmer Advocates at Odds About Solutions to Fertilizer Crisis
The fertilizer industry says high fertilizer prices and supply issues can be solved by lifting export restrictions and incorporating different fertilizer application practices. Farmer advocates disagree.
Commentary: Fertilizer Prices Are Soaring – It’s an Opportunity to Promote More Sustainable Ways of Growing Crops
The price of synthetic fertilizer has more than doubled since 2021, causing great stress in farm country.
Antitrust Advocates Grade USDA Efforts as Passing, but Just Barely
The same report says the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission are doing a better job fighting the power of large corporations to control the agricultural sector.
Commentary: Rural Grocers Stock Small Communities with Quality of Life
To keep America’s small towns strong and sustainable, the most important step is to build them to be the kind of places where we want to live.
Research Results: ‘Agrivoltaics’ Could Help Fill Rural Infrastructure Gap for EV Charging
In some cases, farming and solar power generation can complement each other. The result could help rural areas build out the grid for charging electric vehicles.
Commentary: Stand Together to Defend Debt Relief for Black Farmers
For family-based farms and ranches to survive and thrive, we must work together to fight for policies and programs that help us all.
New Bill Wants to Ban Mergers in Ag and Food Sectors
Farmers and ranchers say now is the time to stop talking and take action to crack down on monopolies in our farm and food system.
Improving Carbon Storage in Pastures Requires Both Training and Support of Ranchers, Study Shows
Farmers in the Cerrado savanna in Brazil created healthier pastures. But doing so required more than just training. Hands-on support was also critical.
Bipartisan Senate Bills Seek to Diminish Corporate Squeeze on Meat Pricing
Do corporations exercise too much power in setting the price at which they buy and sell meat? Two bills would give the federal government more investigative tools and transparency in pricing.
Farm-to-Table Dining in the California Desert
In a region that is historically agricultural, but currently classified as a food desert, the Cuyama Buckhorn — a roadhouse and 21-room hotel — is the only full-service restaurant in New Cuyama. Diners delight in its refined rustic comfort food.
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