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.
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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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.
Q&A: How Agricultural Power Structures Inform Rural Responses to Climate Change
U.C. Berkeley PhD candidate Margiana Petersen-Rockney studies how climate change messaging – or the lack thereof – by farm service providers affects rural communities.
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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.
Survey Results: A Need for SNAP Expansion and Support Beyond Pandemic Measures
Organizations working to combat hunger call on the USDA to support the expansion of EBT benefits, and support BIPOC farmers.
Illustrating the News: The Battle Over Debt Relief for Black Farmers
As the federal government prepared to roll out unprecedented debt relief for historically-disadvantaged farmers, a series of lawsuits halted the program in its tracks. What happens next will shape the future of America’s Black farmers.
Rural Iowans Rebuke Republican School Voucher Bill
Iowa constituents who delivered election victories to the Republicans played a part in stopping a school voucher bill that could strip rural Iowa schools of funding.
Foreign Investment in U.S. Cropland Nearly Triples in Past Decade, USDA Data Shows
Growing foreign investment has spurred legislative action in states and Congress.
Foreign Investment in U.S. Cropland Nearly Triples in Past Decade, USDA Data Shows
Growing foreign investment has spurred legislative action in states and Congress.
Report: The Majority of Farmers Applying to USDA Conservation Programs Are Being Rejected
According to a new report, the lack of federal funding and a preference for industrial livestock operations in some states are to blame.
Despite Legal Changes, Women Still Face Barriers to Inheriting Farmland
The most straightforward route for some women to enter agriculture may still be to marry a man who farms, says one researcher. But scholars and community groups are exploring more equitable solutions.
Concerns about War Increase Efforts to Mine Potash in Michigan, Worrying Some Locals
The war in Ukraine has the U.S. looking for fertilizer at home. A mine in Central Michigan would use 2 million gallons of groundwater a day for its operations.
OSHA and USDA Should Have Done More to Protect Meatpacking Workers, Report Says
An Office of Inspector General report concluded the two agencies could have done more to protect meatpackers from contracting Covid-19. The industry was among the hardest-hit sectors in the early months of the pandemic.
The Return of COOL? Legislation Would Resurrect Origin Labeling for Meat
Ranching advocates say consumers are willing to pay more for U.S.-produced beef – if it’s labeled properly. An ag economist says an earlier Country of Origin Labeling rule did not cause higher prices for meat.
Expanding the ‘Community’ in Community-Supported Agriculture
Community-supported agriculture projects, or CSAs, typically come with an up-front cost that puts them out of reach of low-income families. New England groups are trying new approaches that lower the cost to families while protecting the financial health of farmers.
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