Public News Service

University of New Hampshire scientists are researching how the addition of plant-based essential oils called Agolin in cow feed can improve overall milk quality and production while decreasing a cow's emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. (UNH)

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

NH scientists: Plant-based oils in cow feed cut climate-altering methane emissions

New research from the University of New Hampshire could help dairy farmers increase profits while reducing their effect on the climate. Scientists …

The USDA's Agricultural Census helps track New Hampshire's iconic maple and honey farms. An average of 160,000 gallons of maple syrup is produced each year in the Granite State while area beekeepers raise bees for honey and to provide important crop-pollination services for other farmers. (Adobe Stock)

Ag census reveals major boost in New England farm-production value

New agricultural census data show a significant increase in production value for New England farms over the past five years. There are nearly 31,000 …

A University of New Hampshire study showed annual rainfall, which has increased more than eight inches since 1901, is expected to increase another 7% to 9% by the middle of the century. Scientists say most of this increase will arrive in heavy precipitation events, increasing the risk of flooding and significantly affecting agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Farm relief funds in NH would counter climate change-related crop damage

Two proposed relief funds for New Hampshire farmers aim to recover losses from climate change-related weather events. Years of droughts were …

U.S. medical costs associated with tick-borne diseases are substantial, with Lyme disease alone resulting in anywhere between $712 million and $1.3 billion in annual treatment costs, according to John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Multi-State Effort Begins to Study Dramatic Tick Increase in New England

Scientists in rural New England are working to better monitor and manage tick populations as climate change helps fuel their dramatic increase…

More than 8.3 million U.S. homes and businesses lack access to high-speed broadband, according to the FCC. (Adobe Stock)

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Boosts Rural NH Broadband

An infusion of federal aid is expected to greatly expand access to broadband, or high speed internet service, across rural New Hampshire. Nearly $200…

Advocates for regional food economies say bringing locally produced dairy products to local schools not only improves food security for students, but reduces food waste and contributes to a more sustainable food system for New Hampshire. (Adobe Photo Stock)

Grants Help NH Farmers Keep Dairy Products Local

Dairy farmers and processors in New Hampshire are eligible for grants to help improve their operations, as part of a growing movement to keep locally …

Research shows providing information to consumers about the beneficial impact alternative syrups have in diversifying forests and building climate resiliency motivated consumers to pay as much as a $1.10 more per 12-ounce bottle. (Adobe Stock)

NH Researchers Study Alternative Syrups to Build Forest Climate Resiliency

New England is well known for its maple syrup production but new research shows alternative tree syrups could also benefit both the economy and overal…

Farm Action will lobby lawmakers to ensure the 2023 Farm Bill requires recipients of federal subsidized insurance programs, which largely benefit farms growing corn, soybeans, sugar and wheat, to instead commit to conservation and regenerative land practices. (Adobe Stock)

Farmers Prioritize Food, Not Feed, in 2023 Farm Bill

A large farmer-led coalition is organizing to ensure the 2023 Farm Bill prioritizes the needs of smaller, sustainable farms over large agribusiness …

94% of New Hampshire's more than 1,300 senior farmers do not have a young (under 45) farm operator working with them suggesting an uncertain future of many of these operations, according to American Farmland Trust. (Adobe Photo)

Granite State’s Small Farmers Reap Benefits from USDA Census

New Hampshire's small farmers are encouraged to complete the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture census to ensure they have a voice in federal …

Surveys of blind and low-vision voters following every presidential election since 2008 indicate that as many as one-third of poll workers don't know how to operate their location's accessible ballot-marking devices. (Adobe Photo)

'One4All' Accessible Voting in NH Expected to Grow

All polling places are required to have at least one accessible voting machine for federal elections, but as communities across New Hampshire age…

In the U.S., some 67% of firefighters are volunteers, according to the National Volunteer Fire Council. In New Hampshire, the percentage is even higher. (National Volunteer Fire Council)

Shortage of Volunteers Forces NH Fire Depts. to Step Up Recruitment

If you dial 911, it is more than likely a volunteer firefighter will respond to your emergency, but in the Granite State, there are not enough …

In addition to funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, infrastructure dollars will also be coming into the Granite State for broadband. (Andrey Popov/Adobe Stock)

NH Gets $50 Million from Feds for Broadband Buildout

New Hampshire is getting $50 million dollars from the federal government to expand broadband access. According to the White House, the money…

In some New Hampshire communities, slower-than-advertised broadband speeds are making working or learning from home more difficult. (Claudiu/Adobe Stock)

NH Officials: Rural Granite Staters Need More Reliable Broadband

Granite Staters say the funding for broadband in the bipartisan infrastructure package signed into law last month is critical for their communities…

Normanton Farms is joining one of the Agrarian Trust's 13 Commons across 12 different states. (Normanton Farms)

NH Agrarian Commons Adds More Land Along Merrimack

LITCHFIELD, N.H. -- A 63-acre parcel of land along the Merrimack River is becoming part of the New Hampshire Agrarian Commons. The property, known as …

A new poll suggests a close, five-way horse race ahead of the Iowa caucuses. (Focus on Rural America/David Binder Research)

NH Voters Take Note: Latest Iowa Poll Finds “Tightly Bunched Field”

CONCORD, N.H. -- The New Hampshire primary results may be even more important in light of a new poll of likely Iowa caucus voters that shows a close …

New Hampshire farmers are concerned about the merger of Monsanto with Bayer, which will dominate markets for pesticides and herbicides that vegetable farmers use. (MarkBuckawicki)

Farmers Concerned over Bayer-Monsanto Merger

CONCORD, N.H. – The German pharmaceutical and chemical company, Bayer, is known for aspirin, but it is also a key manufacturer of seeds and …

Supporters of net neutrality predict negative consequences for consumers if the FCC repeals existing protections. (Almonroth/Wikimedia Commons)

Net Neutrality Protests Sweep NH, Nation This Week

CONCORD, N.H. – Protesters are gathering in four New Hampshire cities Thursday and Saturday to support a free and open Internet as part of 600 …

Wildlife biologist Eric Orff says Clean Water Act protections for small rivers and streams not only protect local trout but also New England's drinking water. Credit: Janice R. Orff

Poll: Wide Bipartisan and Tea Party Voter Support for Clean Water Protections

CONCORD, N.H. – A new bipartisan survey finds broad support, including from many Tea Party voters, for the Clean Water Act. Three-in-four …

PHOTO: Three groups are suing the FDA over their approval of new combinations of growth enhancing drugs to be administered to millions of animals raised for food, including pigs. Photo courtesy Humane Society of the United States.

New Drug “Cocktails” for Farm Animals Prompts Lawsuit

NASHUA, N.H. – Pharmaceuticals – they’re what's for dinner. And three groups in the U.S. are suing the federal government over …

PHOTO: Coastal storm damage, like the destruction pictured here in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, will become more frequent as sea levels rise through the remainder of the century in the Northeast, according to a new report. Photo courtesy of the Risky Business Project.

Report: NH Economy Headed “Underwater?”

CONCORD, N.H. - While the Northeast is expected to experience an increase in temperatures and more extreme, hot days through the remainder of the …

PHOTO: Vegetable grower Tim Huth says proposed new rules for food safety won't really do much to increase food safety, and could put small farmers like him out of business. Photo credit: Liz Setterfield, Third Coast Daily.

Veggie Farmer: New Food Safety Rules are an Over-reach

CONCORD, N.H. – The new Food Safety Modernization Act became law early in 2011 and is now going through an implementation process that includes …

PHOTO: An increase in fertilizer runoff from agriculture, along with more severe weather is leading to a larger number of reports of toxic algae blooms in the United States. The algae can make people ill and kill animals or pets. CREDIT: Ben Townsend

Report: Toxic Algae Problems Become More Common Across Nation

CONCORD, N.H. - A new analysis shows a growing scourge of harmful algae blooms across the nation, including in the Granite State. Jordan Lubetkin …

Farmworkers are in Washington DC today, calling on Congress for stronger protections from hazardous pesticides they say are harming them and their families. Courtesy Pesticide Action Network.

Advocate: Farm Workers “Treated Like An Insect”

NASHUA, N.H. - Farm workers from around the nation have flown to the nation's capital to urge Congress to pass stronger legislation to reduce what …

PHOTO: Consumer advocates say land-line phones are still used widely, especially by seniors and those in rural areas, but telecom companies are pushing Internet-based alternatives which are much less regulated. Courtesy Mark Scheerer.

Land Lines – Endangered Phone Species?

NASHUA, N.H. - Millions of consumers have cancelled their old land-line telephone service and replaced it with wireless phones. But many seniors and …

Photo: Night-tracking image of bobcat. Motion-activated cameras are recording species that may have conflicts with roads upstate. Photo credit: Nature Conservancy

Breaking Travel Barriers for NH Predators Also Protects Humans

CONCORD, N.H. - The same highways that keep Granite Staters connected can also block natural connections for wildlife, a problem local …

IMAGE: This graphic shows that antibiotics are prescribed in 58 percent of cases when they are not needed. Courtesy of CDC.

CDC Warns of Dangers of Antibiotic Overuse

CONCORD, N.H. - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and doctors in New Hampshire and around the nation are warning patients that …

Is 'Genetically Modified' the Future of Our Food?

CONCORD, N.H. - The rise of genetically modified foods has put agriculture at a crossroads in New Hampshire and around the country, and some believe …

In Search of More Elbow Room for Chickens

WASHINGTON - When it comes to the age-old question: "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?", two national groups are pulling for the chicken…

New Proposal Aims to Plow Level Playing Field for NH Farmers

CONCORD, N.H. - Legislation introduced last week in Congress could level the playing field for farmers in New Hampshire and other states. The Rural …

Nutrition Experts Not Too Sweet on USDA Guidelines

CONCORD, N.H. - Too much of good things? Nutrition experts are gathering on Valentine's Day to make it clear they're not too sweet on the new U.S…

FDA Poised to Inject Guidelines into Livestock Antibiotic Use

CONCORD, N.H. - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected soon to inject guidelines into the long-debated routine use of antibiotics in large …

NH Honeybee Decline Continues – Scientists Still Baffled

CONCORD, N.H. - In New Hampshire and around the country, honeybees are disappearing in what scientists and beekeepers say are alarming numbers…

Environmental Health Risks: Not Just Cancer

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A recent report delivered to President Obama by a special panel appointed by President Bush warned that the risk of cancer from …

Getting the School Cafeteria Connected to the Farm

CONCORD, N.H. - There are lots of schools in New Hampshire and lots of farms, and some new thinking is aimed at connecting the two to make kids …

Childhood Obesity in NH: "Cheap Food Policy" Partly to Blame?

CONCORD, N.H. - Childhood obesity rates are at an all-time high, and according to a new article in "Health Affairs Journal," the nation's so-called …

New England Farmer says “Buying Local is Best”

HOPKINTON, N.H. - E. coli and salmonella: words that have made it into more news headlines lately. The recent recalls of tainted beef here in New …

Groups Ask EPA to Protect Kids from Pesticides

CONCORD, N.H. - Groups representing farm workers, doctors and mothers have banded together to ask the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to do …

Rural Dwellers Want Equal Shot At Health Care

CONCORD, N. H. - Rural New Hampshire wants a seat at the table. That's the message in a letter-writing campaign to Congress from advocates who want …

Rural New Hampshirites Shortchanged on Mental Health Services

CONCORD, N.H. – Mental health issues like depression and stress are not just problems for city dwellers. They affect people in rural New …

Obama Administration Calls 'Time Out' on Roadless Areas

Concord,NH - The Obama administration has called for a "time out" in New Hampshire roadless national forest areas. A directive announced Thursday …

Study: Antibiotics on the Farm Causing Unnecessary Risks to Humans

Concord, NH - What's good for the herd down on the farm is not necessarily good for the human consumer down the line, according to recent studies by …

The Gift of Time for NH Vets

Support our troops…one hour at a time. It's something New Hampshire mental health professionals are doing in their offices and by phone: …

“Got (Organic) Milk?” NH Dairies Being Recruited

Concord, NH - Go organic and make more money. That's the pitch to New Hampshire dairies, which are being offered zero-interest loans to help them …

New Hampshire Farms Buzzing About Bee Shortage

Durham, NH - New Hampshire's orchards are buzzing with a riddle this year: What do you get when springtime comes and there aren't enough honeybees? …

Groups Push Senate to ‘Cultivate’ a More Fair Farm Bill

Manchester, NH – As a new U.S. Farm Bill is being written in Washington, an advertising campaign being launched in New Hampshire calls on …

No Apples or Pumpkins in New Hampshire?

Spring is the time of the birds and the bees, but one of those two may be scarce this year. A mysterious honeybee blight is threatening food crops …

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NH: Rural/Farming