Rural/Farming / Public News Service

A recent Supreme Court ruling narrowed the scope of which U.S. bodies of water are protected under the Clean Water Act. A wetlands protection advocacy group said a proposed EPA rule would narrow the definition even further, leaving millions of acres of wetlands across the country unprotected. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

New EPA rule could put remaining IL wetlands at risk

Protected wetlands across Illinois could be at risk as the Trump administration considers changes to the Clean Water Act. The Environmental …

Lawmakers are considering several bills that would impact small farmers, including bills that would require country-of-origin labels and allow the sale of raw milk at farmers markets. (Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 28, 2025

TX lawmakers consider bills to help small farmers, home food businesses

Members of a Texas House committee this week will consider a bill that would limit the number of permits farmers must have to participate at farmers m…

Ohio's tomato growers harvest more than 300,000 tons annually. It is a crop heavily dependent on preserved genetic traits for disease resistance and shelf life. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio crops at risk as federal cuts disrupt seed preservation

A little-known federal program has quietly safeguarded the crops feeding the nation, including key Ohio staples like soybeans, tomatoes, corn and …

About 9% of Virginians receive benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. (Adobe Stock)

VA students, local economies would suffer from possible SNAP cuts

As lawmakers on Capitol Hill discuss trillions in spending cuts, opponents warned students on SNAP and free school meal programs would suffer…

The Pesticide Action Network said after acquiring Monsanto in 2018, the company Bayer has faced nearly 100,000 lawsuits and was eventually ordered to pay up to $10.9 billion to settle claims alleging its product Roundup, widely used in farm fields, caused cancer. (Adobe Stock)

New ND law raises bar for pesticide liability lawsuits

North Dakota lawmakers have opted to side with farm chemical manufacturers facing legal challenges about the safety of their products. The state has …

The Inflation Reduction Act allocated $3.1 billion for

South Florida farming program in limbo after federal grant freeze

Frozen federal grants have thrown a South Florida farm training program into chaos, leaving a nonprofit scrambling to salvage it after sudden funding …

Every dollar invested in SNAP generates between $1.50 to $1.80 in local economic activity. There are currently 3,100 authorized SNAP retailers in Colorado. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Coloradans' hand-written letters on SNAP cuts heading to nation's capital

Two leading Colorado nonprofits working to end hunger are collecting hand-written letters from a wide range of people who would be directly impacted i…

Soybeans provide more protein per acre than any other major crop, producing about seven times more protein than beef cattle grazing on the same land area, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Pixabay)

MS soybean trials test varieties despite trade uncertainty

Mississippi State University Extension launched its annual soybean variety trials last week. It is a way to evaluate crop performance as farmers …

A total of 16,000 NOAA workers, including those who forecast severe storms, have been fired by DOGE. (Derrick Neill/Adobe Stock)

Second wave of weather employees fired ahead of NM wildfire season

By Dawn Attride for Sentient.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for New Mexico News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboratio…

From 2021 to 2022, the Department of Energy tripled its funding for agrivoltaics, including $8 million for a new program studying how solar panels can benefit farmers and rural areas. (pkproject/Adobe Stock)

Michigan State University study: Crops and solar panels can coexist

Results of a new study from Michigan State University suggest farmers no longer have to choose between growing crops and harnessing solar power…

With funding from Congress, the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System is new a wholesale provider of <br />cleaner water to 20 member cities and rural water systems in three states, including South Dakota. Local leaders said it is a good example of effective federal investments. (Photo courtesy of MN DOH)

SD communities say federal aid isn't 'waste' to them

CORRECTION: This web-version of the story initially listed Rep. Dusty Johnson as "Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-N.D." It has since been corrected to reflect …

Conservation voices said when European settlers first arrived in South Dakota, 96% of the state was grassland but today only around 50% of the original native grasslands remain. (Adobe Stock)

SD grassland enthusiasts hope for a native plant rebirth

April is National Native Plant Month, an observance at the core of South Dakota's identity. People wanting to protect the state's beloved grasslands …

Last year, Wisconsin exported nearly $30 billion worth of goods, down about $4.2 billion from its peak. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Tariffs could worsen WI’s ‘turbulent’ export economy

Exports are important to Wisconsin's economy but a new report found they are facing turbulence between a decade-long decline and the uncertainty of ne…

The city of Baltimore and Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission serve a combined 3.5 million Marylanders. (Adobe Stock)

MD water systems have high levels of cancer-causing chemicals, report finds

A new report found 122 million Americans drink water with high levels of cancer-causing chemicals, frequently from runoff at livestock factory farms…

According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, 41% of Wyoming's farmers are women. (Adobe Stock)

Beginning farmers in WY could get a boost from Congress

More than one quarter of Wyoming's farmers started producing in the past ten years and are considered beginners by the U.S. Department of Agriculture…

Despite some state space improvements, about 60% of U.S. egg-laying hens are still kept in cramped battery cages, each with less space than a sheet of paper. (Alex/AdobeStock)

Pennsylvania egg brand agrees to drop ‘free-roaming’ label

By Jessica Scott-Reid for Sentient Climate.Broadcast version by Danielle Smith for Keystone State News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public Ne…

When cows eat plant cover faster than it can regrow, it erodes and degrades the soil beneath, making it more susceptible to runoff and other undesirable consequences. (Saed/Adobe Stock)

WA cattle grazing can harm 'food webs'

By Seth Millstein for Sentient Climate.Broadcast version by Isobel Charle for Washington News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service C…

Iowa produced 2.5 billion bushels of corn in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa farmers question need for treated seeds

By Lisa Held for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Service C…

Colorado is the second-largest fresh potato growing region in the nation, and the crop is a significant financial driver in the rural San Luis Valley. (Adobe Stock)

DOGE funding cuts could impact America's 'seed bunkers'

Scientists at 22 U.S. sites including in Fort Collins have been working without fanfare to maintain the the genetic diversity of the nation's …

Some North Dakota towns have seen plans come together for large-scale dairy operations, prompting debate about what kinds of tools local communities should have in restricting them due to environmental concerns. (Adobe Stock)

ND farm towns prepare for life with new animal feedlot law

Starting next year, North Dakota will have a new law in place that covers local zoning restrictions for animal feedlots. The bill's passage follows a …

The United States is the third-largest pork producer in the world and already exports around one-third of the pork it produces domestically. (Chayakorn/Adobe Stock)

Chinese-owned farms press for repeal of CA animal welfare law

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabor…

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MAHA movement aims to reverse American farming policy

By Jessica Scott-Reid for Sentient.Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for Ohio News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabo…

Potatoes are one of 200 crops pivotal to the U.S. food system. DOGE has made cuts to the U.S. agency that maintains the crops' genetics and seed supply. (Adobe Stock)

DOGE cuts funding to seed banks, threatens WY. food security

Federal scientists at 22 U.S. sites maintain the nation's agricultural seed stores collected since 1898 but the Trump administration's DOGE agency …

The Honor Farmer Contracts Act would require the USDA to give a 60-day notice of any agency closures. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., is among those who introduced the bill last month. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed bill aims to pay farmers back for disrupted grants

A Wisconsin-based nonprofit hopes a new law can help some of its struggling farmers quickly recoup federal grant funds they are owed. The Honor …

Global food security depends on work done by U.S. National Plant Germplasm System. Its scientists and funding are on the DOGE chopping block. (s1llu/Adobe Stock/AI enhanced)<br />

America's historic crops at risk as DOGE cuts funding for seed bunkers

Working without fanfare, federal scientists at 22 U.S. sites maintain the nation's agricultural plant species collected since 1898, including crops …

The Texas horned lizard currently is listed as a threatened species in Texas. It can be found from the south-central United States to northern Mexico, throughout much of Texas, Kansas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. (David McGowen/Adobe Stock)

From horny toad to Guadalupe bass, Texans work to save wildlife

Wildlife conservationists are working with landowners and concerned Texans to recover at-risk species. Currently, more than 1,100 animals from …

According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, 41% of beginning producers were female, as opposed to 36% of all U.S. producers. (Adobe Stock)

Congress aims to assist new farmers with accessing land in OH, nationwide

Ohio ranks fourth in the nation for the number of farms, with more than 75,000, and beginning farmers in the Buckeye State and nationwide may soon be …

The study analyzed 56 million cow-level production records across 18,000 dairy farms from 2012 to 2016. (Adobe Stock)

New study: Small farms disproportionately impacted by extreme heat

A new study shows how extreme weather conditions negatively affect production yields on Midwest dairy farms, with a disproportionate impact on …

Steps for poultry farmers to prevent bird flu include restricting birds' movement and enhancing farm sanitation practices. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: People fear bird flu's impact on finances over health

Since January, there have been outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza on four commercial farms in Maryland, affecting nearly 800,000 chickens meant for …

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship investigated 326 cases of pesticide misuse in 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Pesticide 'Cancer Gag Act' dead in Iowa

A bill which would have given pesticide companies legal immunity from health problems caused by their products did not make it through the legislature…

North Dakota farmers said the financial strain they are feeling is not only the result of another global trade war. They say rising expenses, like machinery, are eating into their profits. (Adobe Stock)

ND farmers back push in Congress to rein in tariffs

With planting season here, North Dakota farmers have plenty on their minds, including the escalating trade war and some hope a bipartisan bill in …

Some 18% of farms operated by beginning farmers report sales of $50,000 or more, compared to 26% of farms run by established producers. (DisobeyArt/Adobe Stock)

Lawmakers unite to address farmland access 'crisis,' in MI and beyond

Michigan ranks 15th in the nation for its number of farms, with 44,000, a slight decrease from 2023 and reflects a national decline. Now, beginning …

The 1,500 Black farmers in Arkansas grow everything from soybeans to corn, cotton, peas and sweet potatoes. (JackF/Adobe Stock)

Black AR farmers mostly unaffected by USDA funding freeze

U.S. Department of Agriculture cuts have affected farming communities nationwide but a national group said Black farmers are largely unaffected…

According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, 41% of beginning producers were female, compared with 36% of all U.S. producers. (Kostiantyn/Adobe Stock)

Bipartisan bill aims to tackle farmland access crisis in MO, nationwide

Missouri ranks second in the nation for the number of farms, with more than 85,000. Beginning farmers in the state and across the nation may soon …

Chronic Wasting Disease is a fatal neurological disease affecting deer, elk and moose. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming elk occupancy agreements aim to rein in cattle conflicts

Wyoming's practice of feeding elk over winters is a century old but the spread of disease has increased concerns. Now, the Greater Yellowstone …

In the Biden administration's final year, the USDA and EPA reaffirmed a goal to halve food waste by 2030 but supermarkets are not legally required to comply. Retailers can help by donating unsold food and educating consumers on cutting waste at home. (lado2016/Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: Major supermarkets fail to cut food-related methane emissions

By Dawn Attride for Sentient.Broadcast version by Danielle Smith for Tennessee News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaborati…

The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas says it hopes to work with local farmers again in some capacity in the future. (Daniel Vincek/Adobe Stock)

Food-insecure AR families could suffer because of federal cuts

Arkansas families who are food insecure could be hurt by federal cuts to programs and services. Those fighting the war on hunger across the Natural …

The Little Village Environmental Justice Organization has become as much as a landmark to the community as the Little Village Arch and was awarded the national Food Sovereignty Prize in 2024. (City of Chicago 2021)

Chicago nonprofit transforms former toxic site to feed community

By Angela Burke for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Pub…

USDA data show Black farmers have lost 90% of their land since 1910, while Florida has lost more than 300,000 acres of farmland since 2017. (Pixabay)

FL coalition joins call to honor USDA contracts, support small farmers

Many Floridians watched as Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.Y., set a record for his historic 24-hour-plus Senate floor speech protesting President Donald …

Some two million gray wolves roamed North America in the early 1800s but today, fewer than 7,000 remain on just 10% of their historic range in the Lower 48 States. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado's Boebert targets renewed effort to remove federal wolf protections

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., has introduced a bill to remove gray wolves from the list of endangered and threatened species under the Endangered …

Economists with the American Farm Bureau Federation said there are still unknowns but it is clear the escalating trade war will decrease demand for U.S. products in the second- and third-largest export markets for American farmers. (Adobe Stock)

Federal moves leave MN farmers in state of limbo

The Trump administration announces its new wave of tariffs Wednesday, and with U.S. Department of Agriculture funding still a question mark, …

The Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association is challenging the U.S. Department of Agriculture's denial of $2.2 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funds to Black farmers' heirs at the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing while white farmers' families inherit benefits, Black farmers' descendants are excluded. (La Famiglia/Adobe Stock)

Discrimination shields some Black farmers from USDA funding freezes

Cuts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture have affected farming communities nationwide but a national group said its Black farmers remain unaffected…

Under tariffs imposed by the first Trump administration, losses for farmers prompted a $23 billion taxpayer-funded bailout. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado farmers brace for new round of Trump tariffs

President Donald Trump is set to impose sweeping global tariffs this week, a move expected to spark retaliation against a range of American products …

Midwest researchers say a deduction in the 2017 federal tax cut law has boosted the economic activity generated by agriculture cooperatives. In 2022, they say it led to $1.25 billion in economic impact in South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota. (Adobe Stock)

SD research: Power of ag co-ops intersects with controversial tax law

A new study says agriculture co-ops are a strong economic force in states like South Dakota - but their future is murky, because of federal tax cuts …

Preventive steps for poultry farmers regarding bird flu include restricting bird movement and enhancing farm sanitation practices. (PordeeStudio/Adobe Stock)

Poll: Americans fear bird flu's effect on finances over personal health

In January, H5N1 avian influenza struck more than 400,000 birds in Missouri, making it the second-highest state for affected flocks at the time and a …

In 2022, U.S. sales of poultry and eggs totaled $76.5 billion, 14.1% of total U.S. agriculture sales.(Adobe Stock)

Could egg supply and demand be helping avian flu spread?

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Alex Gonzalez for Arizona News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabora…

If passed, the bipartisan Farm Ownership Improvement Act would allow the USDA up to two years to create and fully implement a pre-qualification or pre-approval process that addresses the needs of young farmers and ranchers. (asafaric/Adobe Stock)

Bipartisan bill could improve land access for new PA farmers

Despite a federal funding freeze, a newly proposed bipartisan bill in the U.S. Senate could enhance loan programs for farmers. Backers say in …

Iowa has about 400,000 acres of wetlands, down from an estimated 4 to 6 million acres, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Federal judge to decide fate of IA 'Swampbuster' wetlands program

A federal judge in Cedar Rapids hears arguments today in a case that could make or break the future of wetland protection programs in the state…

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Rural/Farming