Rural/Farming / Public News Service

In New Mexico, 12 small family-operated farms have provided food for over 1,000 children at more than 30 preschools. (American Friends Service Committee)

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

NM preschoolers discover purple carrots, plant organic veggies

Like kids everywhere, New Mexico preschoolers balk at eating fresh vegetables. But an educational project has found that with a creative nudge…

The Biden administration has released a Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan, describing how programs funded by the Farm Bill should adopt practices to improve manure management and substantially reduce methane emissions from livestock, which contribute to climate change. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Farm waste ups dangers of climate change-related weather events

As the Atlantic coast braces for what could be an active hurricane season, environmental groups are warning about the dangers of agricultural …

Large confined animal feeding operations can pose pollution threats to surface and groundwater. (Aaron/Adobe Stock)

ID offers grants to improve confined animal operations

Idaho is accepting proposals for projects that improve confined animal feeding operations in the state. The operations - also known as CAFOs - can …

A high-tech approach to studying Iowa's future soil health

Farmers in Iowa are studying interactions between crops, water usage, carbon and nitrogen storage, and how those factors combine to affect longterm …

The Farm Bill, which is updated every five years, covers programs ranging from crop insurance for farmers to healthy food access for low-income families, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. (Adobe Stock)

Plan to keep SNAP benefits in check doesn't sit well with WI advocates

Congress is back in session two more weeks before the August recess. Wisconsin voices worried about the future of a key hunger relief program hope …

Sioux Falls experienced its wettest two-day period in the National Weather Service's record keeping, according to NASA, which began in 1893. (Brian Jackson/Adobe Stock)

Water contamination a concern in Midwest flood aftermath

As South Dakotans affected by recent record floods take stock of damages, researchers say water quality is among the concerns. The state has been …

Ohio has more than 13 million acres of farmland and agriculture is responsible for about 3% of the state's gross domestic product. (Donley Desdain/Adobe Stock)

USDA invests millions for 'climate-smart' ag programs in Midwest

Farms in the Midwest should become more resilient to challenges created by climate change, with a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of …

Two South Dakota ethanol production facilities are considered high-priority emission violators, according to EPA data, including plants in Redfield and Aberdeen. (Adobe Stock)

Report: SD ethanol plants release hazardous air pollutants

Biofuels are painted as a greener energy alternative to fossil fuels but a new study found the industry produces plenty of its own air pollutants…

In Colorado, more than 195,000 people work in agriculture across 38,900 farms and ranches. The industry supplies $47 billion to the state's economy annually. (Adobe Stock)

Addressing mental health needs of Colorado farming communities

In the past year, the Colorado AgrAbility Project added four behavioral health specialists to help the state's agricultural producers, workers and …

The Northwest is the biggest supplier of cherries in the country. (Dmitry/Adobe Stock)

Supports available for migrant workers' families during peak harvest in OR

A program in the Columbia River Gorge helps migrant farmworkers' families during harvest season. The Resources Available for Migrant Access to …

Researchers Anna O'Brien, left, and Ciana Lazu examine a sample of duckweed found at Mill Pond in Durham, New Hampshire. (UNH Marketing)

NH duckweed study aims to counter impacts of manure, farm runoff

University of New Hampshire scientists said a common aquatic plant called duckweed could help filter polluting runoff from dairy farms and so-called m…

Wyoming's Bighorn Basin is located between mountain ranges that block the flow of moisture-laden air from both the east and west, making it one of the driest places in the state, according to the Water Resources Data System and State Climate Office. (BLM Wyoming)

Projected costs loom over benefits of proposed Bighorn Basin dam

Wyoming's irrigation infrastructure is aging and the state gets regular requests to update it but in some cases, project benefits may not outweigh …

Cover crops protect soil from erosion and also help with weed control. (Practical Farmers of Iowa)

Helping IA farmers get more cover crops into the ground

An Iowa nonprofit group helps ag-related businesses grow to serve more farmers and get more cover crops planted in the state. Cover crops like rye …

The USDA claims its electronic tag requirements will prevent disease outbreaks and protect beef export markets. (Jackie Nix/Adobe Stock)

USDA electronic tag mandates worry some smaller TX ranchers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will soon require electronic eartags for cattle and bison that cross state lines. The USDA says its rule will …

Agriculture accounts for nearly 85% of Oregon's water use. (Deyan Georgiev/Adobe Stock)

Oregon seeks public comment on large-scale farming regulations

Oregonians have until July 22 to submit comments on the implementation of new environmental restrictions for the state's largest farms. When the …

The Environmental Working Group said in a new report when someone thinks of farm subsidies, they might not picture the recipient living in a downtown Minneapolis apartment but it showed loopholes approved by Congress allow it to happen more frequently. (Adobe Stock)

'Big city' farmers cash in on government aid, drawing fairness questions

Minneapolis-St. Paul is in the top five metro areas where investors in farms are receiving large amounts of government subsidies. Authors of a new …

Smaller ranchers voice concerns about USDA electronic tag mandates

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will soon require electronic eartags for cattle and bison that cross state lines. The USDA says its rule will …

Use of cover crops, such as winter wheat, can help water and nutrients penetrate the soil and smother weeds, leading to better corn crops. (Magnus/Adobe Stock)

NE youth hopeful for regenerative ag, sustainability after D.C. conference

Three members of Nebraska's student-run climate advocacy organization Students for Sustainability were among the youngest participants at the recent C…

More than two-thirds of the Local Food System Infrastructure projecta funded were small farms or food businesses. (Jaskaran Kooner/Adobe Stock)

$1.5 million in grants support WA local food infrastructure

Washington state has allocated nearly $1.5 million in grants to support local food systems and supply chains. The Washington State Department of …

Agriculture contributes about $83.6 billion annually to Georgia's economy, according to the University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development. (Adobe Stock)

University of Georgia farm program helps veterans transition to agriculture

A University of Georgia outreach program is giving veterans a new start in agriculture. With the help of a $750,000 grant, the Farm Boot Camp will …

Transfarmation provides resources and support to industrial animal farmers interested in transitioning their farms to plant-focused operations. (Evgeniya Grande/Adobe Stock)

The Transfarmation Project: Empowering farmers to escape a destructive cycle

By Lena Beck for Modern Farmer.Broadcast version by Shanteya Hudson for North Carolina News Service reporting for the Modern Farmer-Public News Servic…

Cherry-picking season has begun in Washington state. (Valmedia/Adobe Stock)

Fed judge restores higher WA farmworker wages

A ruling from a federal judge will keep Washington state growers from depressing wages for farmworkers this harvest season. Judge John Chun has …

Untreated factory farm waste runoff contains high levels of fecal pathogens such as E. coli, antibiotics and cleaning chemicals. (Adobe Stock)

Clean-water advocates head back to court over Colorado factory farms

Clean-water advocates are heading to state district court after Colorado regulators turned their back on a judge's decision last year calling for bett…

Farmworkers laboring in extreme heat are at risk of heatstroke or even death. (F Armstrong Photo/Adobe Stock)

Biden administration's proposed heat rules would protect ID farmworkers

The Biden administration is proposing rules to protect workers from extreme heat. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said its …

Around 97% of the Utah hog inventory is on farms with 5,000 or more hogs, according to the National Pork Producers Council. (Adobe Stock)

Utah feels impact of California's ban on gestation crates

Farm advocates claim price gouging on meat and poultry in California is spreading across the country, including Utah's pork industry, which garnered …

Beyond legal-related maneuvers, the USDA has taken other steps to create more market fairness in the heavily consolidated livestock and meat production industry, including funding for more local processing options. (Adobe Stock)

The little guy could get a bigger voice in proposed USDA fairness rule

From North Dakota to Texas, the beef raised on farms goes through a production process controlled by four major companies and independent ranchers …

Montana currently has no law against the use of gestation crates to raise livestock. (Adobe Stock)

Montana feels effects of California 'price gouging'

California joined a dozen other states across the U.S. either banning or regulating the use of gestation crates to raise livestock and a ballot …

Since they began resettling in the Midwest after the Vietnam War, Hmong farmers have been credited for revitalizing farmers markets in states like Wisconsin and Minnesota. (Adobe Stock)

Preparing the next generation of Hmong farmers

Visit a Wisconsin farmers market, and chances are there are products grown by Hmong producers. But like other agricultural groups, the population is …

Proposed water permit changes in Minnesota to limit harmful runoff from industrial farms would only cover about 1,000 of the state's 17,000 livestock feedlots. However, environmental groups said the affected farms generate about one-third of the manure spread on agricultural fields. (Adobe Stock)

MN regulators unveil tougher water permit requirements for CAFO's

Minnesota will soon hold public hearings on proposed water permit changes as it seeks to get control of nitrate pollution from industrial farms…

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits brought more than $700 million to local Colorado economies in 2017, creating more than $1.25 billion in economic activity. (Adobe Stock)

Farm Bill proposal would cut SNAP food assistance by $30 billion

One proposed version of the next Farm Bill, introduced by the Republican chair of the House Agriculture Committee, would cut the Supplemental …

Corporations have raised retail pork prices by 20%, but the farmers supplying California with crate-free pork are only receiving about 5% more for their hogs, according to data from the USDA. (Adobe Stock)

California 'price gouging' ripples to Iowa

Farm advocates claim price gouging on meat and poultry in California is spreading across the country, including in Iowa, which is the nation's …

In 2023, the Farm Service Agency enrolled 2.7 million acres to its Grassland Conservation Reserve Program out of more than 4.6 million acres offered by landowners. (MarekPhotoDesign.com/Adobe Stock)

Friday deadline for 2024 USDA grassland conservation program

Farm producers and landowners have until the end of this week to apply for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency's Grasslands …

On most farms, pregnant sows are confined to a small

Report: Restaurants allow abuse, disease risk at MD animal farms

Many food producers have made progress since 2008 toward ending the use of gestation crates for pregnant pigs, according to a new report from animal-…

About 40% of food produced by farmers worldwide is never consumed. (TheStockCube/Adobestock)

Making 'climate candy' from upcycled fruits and veggies

Worldwide, 40% of food is wasted but a new candy company is trying to make a dent in it and fight climate change to boot. The company is called …

In 2023, Arkansas' Farm to School Kitchen Equipment Grant Program increased the capacity to process and serve more specialty crops to students through the school cafeteria. (Cheangchai/Adobe Stock)

Arkansas students learn importance of healthy foods through school gardens

School children in Arkansas are learning how to grow their own fruits and vegetables through the Farm to School and Early Childhood Education program …

The current version of the Farm Bill is an extension of the 2018 bill, which expired in 2023 and was extended for one year. (Kenishirotie/Adobe Stock)

MO advocates demand fairness in beef labeling, support for small farms

Family farm advocates are pushing for major changes in the new Farm Bill, including reduced subsidies for large factory farms, mandatory beef country-…

Illinois is bordered by 880 miles of water - the Mississippi River, Ohio River, and Wabash River. according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. (Adode Stock)

Tug-of-war for more access to IL streams continues

Federal law and Illinois law are at odds over ownership, access, and use of the state's streams, lakes & rivers - and the Legislature failed to pass …

Iowa family farm advocates are calling on Congress to reduce the subsidies given to large-scale factory operations in the Farm Bill, and invest more in conservation programs that help small ag producers. (Adobe Stock)

Family farmers call for tougher CAFO regulations in Farm Bill

Family farm advocates are calling for cuts in federal subsidies to large animal feeding operations - technically known as Concentrated Animal Feeding …

Advocates are concerned that large corporate

MN farmers push for more protection from corporate agriculture in Farm Bill

With a September deadline looming for Congress to finish work on renewing the Farm Bill, Minnesota family farmers are pushing for more regulations to …

Around 27% of South Dakotans who applied for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, funded by Inflation Reduction Act dollars in 2023, were accepted. (Marc Braner/Adobe Stock)

House Farm Bill could chop climate-smart programs

The U.S. House of Representatives will likely vote this summer on a version of the Farm Bill, which passed through the committee process last month…

Between 2017 and 2022, Minnesota saw a more than 30% increase in farm acres planted with cover crops. (Adobe Stock)

Cover crops: A mighty force for land health, with room for growth

When Minnesota farmers watch their crops grow this summer, some will monitor land that has better soil health. It's because of a fairly popular …

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are targeted to people with the greatest need: 92% go to households with incomes below the poverty line, and 54% to households at or below half of the poverty line, about $12,900 for a family of three in 2024, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Hunger Coalition pushes back on SNAP cuts in Farm Bill

One version of the Farm Bill being debated in Congress would cut billions of dollars in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits from agricu…

South Dakota loses up to 100,000 acres of grasslands annually, according to the South Dakota Grassland Coalition. Grassland bird species are declining faster than any other group on the continent. (Gregory Johnston/Adobe Stock)

Support grows for threatened SD grasslands

About 1.6 million acres of Great Plains grasslands were destroyed in 2021 alone, according to a recent report, an area the size of Delaware. One …

A new Colorado law provides local and tribal governments with science-based resources for siting and permitting new renewable-energy projects, including maps identifying sensitive wildlife habitat. (Adobe Stock)

New resources available to site CO clean-energy projects, protect wildlife

To reach 100% clean energy by 2040 - a move seen as critical for averting the worst impacts of climate change - Colorado must generate five times more…

Montana is not among the list of states outlawing or restricting restaurants' use of meat products from producers using gestation crates to raise their livestock for the food chain. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Popular MT restaurants 'lag' in banning gestation crates

A prominent animal-safety group is calling on restaurants to do more to ban the use of animal gestation crates where livestock and poultry are grown f…

Utah hog farms and pork processors directly employed 1,899 workers and paid more than $100.7 million in total wages, according to the National Pork Producers Council. (Adobe Stock)

Animal rights group wants to end use of livestock gestation crates

An international animal right's group is calling on the U.S. restaurant chain industry to reduce or eliminate the use of gestation crates for …

The U.S. per capita consumption of pork amounted to 51.1 pounds in 2022, according to Statista. (zyabich/AdobeStock)

Report: U.S. restaurant chains continue controversial ag practices

For 15 years, U.S. restaurant chains have pledged to stop using gestation crates for pregnant pigs but a new report from an animal welfare group …

Iowa is among 11 states to outlaw or restrict restaurants' use of meat products from producers using gestation crates to raise their livestock for the food chain. (Adobe Stock)

Animal welfare report calls for livestock gestation crate bans

A prominent animal safety group is calling on restaurants to do more to ban the use of animal gestation crates where livestock and poultry are grown f…

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Rural/Farming