Rural/Farming / Public News Service

Agrivoltaics is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the use of land for both agriculture and solar-energy generation. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, September 28, 2023

Growing veggies with a side of solar cuts emissions, boosts land access

The arrival of fall has farmers transitioning to the harvest season, but what if some gathered their crops with rows of solar panels right alongside …

Measurements of electrical conductivity indicating elevated salinity is affecting the soil hundreds of meters from visible salt patches. (Rebecca Epanchin-Niell)

Thursday, September 28, 2023

Study: Thousands of acres of MD farmland facing saltwater intrusion

Researchers have found the amount of land affected by saltwater intrusion on the Delmarva Peninsula has dramatically increased in recent years…

In 1920, Black people made up 14% of all farmers. It is estimated Black farmers lost around $326 billion worth of land within the 20th century. BIPOC farmers now make up less than 5% of all U.S. farmers. (Heather Craig/Adobe Stock)

Thursday, September 28, 2023

Advocates bring attention to racism rooted in farming across NC

Advocates are drawing attention to systemic racism in farming across North Carolina and the nation. The National Farm Worker Ministry is hosting its …

Food banks provide a crucial service, but federal programs such as SNAP are critical to fighting hunger. (kuarmungadd/Adobe Stock)

Thursday, September 28, 2023

Hunger Action Month: Farm Bill offers chance to support, expand SNAP

Hunger Action Month is coming to a close, but one major action for ensuring people are fed remains on the horizon. The largest federal food-…

Ag-based organizations say if there's a government shutdown, it would add more stress to those trying to adopt a new Farm Bill because lawmakers could not consult with furloughed USDA staff about the importance of certain programs. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

WI ag groups in 'wait-and-see mode' on Farm Bill

The current Farm Bill expires Sept. 30 and with a looming government shutdown, reauthorization does not appear imminent. Wisconsin farm groups say …

Suicide rates in rural communities increased by 48% between 2000 and 2018, compared with 34% in urban areas, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. (StockMediaProduction/Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 25, 2023

TX AgriStress Helpline highlighted for Suicide Prevention Month

Texas farmers face the obvious stressors of weather, costs and market fluctuations, but their responsibility of providing for family and workers also …

Iowa has more than 30 million acres of farmed land, and boasts the nation's highest production of corn, soybeans, pork and eggs, according to Iowa Farm Facts. (Adobe Stock)

IA small farm advocates call for less corporate land control

Rural advocates are supporting the Farmland for Farmers Act in Congress. It would restrict the amount of Iowa farmland large corporations can own…

Arborglyphs, or tree carvings, created by Hispanic sheep herders in the Medicine Bow National Forest date back to the early 1900s. (Amanda Casta�eda)

Uncovering Wyoming's Hispanic heritage along Manito Trail

While many Wyomingites of Hispanic descent came from Mexico, there is a lesser-known population from the old Spanish settlements of northern New …

Food to Power, a group in Colorado Springs, has redistributed more than $6 million of healthy groceries to struggling families since 2013. (Adobe Stock)

Harvest Celebration Marks Decades-Long Quest to Address Food Insecurity

This year's Food to Power Harvest Festival marks 10 years since Colorado Springs residents launched a food rescue project to get fruits and vegetables…

EPA Upholds MT Farmers' 'Right to Repair'

The Environmental Protection Agency has upheld Montana farmers' right to repair their own equipment, and says doing so does not violate the Clean Air …

The United States has fewer than 49,000 Black farmers, accounting for 1.4% of the country's 3.4 million producers, according to the latest Census of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Seek Better Land Access for Marginalized Farmers

With the new Farm Bill debate scheduled for later this month, advocates are calling on lawmakers to write new policy into the measure to ensure more …

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…

Data show people in rural communities are more likely to live in poverty, have higher mortality rates, and have higher rates of incarceration. (Adobe Stock)

Rural America Organizes to Create More Opportunities

Overall, Colorado has been on the rebound since COVID-19 affected supply chains and shook economies across the globe. But many of the state's rural …

Policy analysts said the Farm Bill is generally a bipartisan issue, but reauthorization can get held up by spending disputes over certain programs, especially the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program. (Adobe Stock)

ND Farming Community Joins Push for Jumpstart on Farm Bill Talks

North Dakota farmers and fellow producers from around the country are in Washington, D.C., this week, calling on Congress to prioritize the soon-to-…

On large dairy farms or other animal operations, a slurry of manure is funneled into an anaerobic digester, where microbes produce gas, which is piped away. (Erikdegraaf/Adob Sstock)

Renewable Natural Gas: Climate Change Solution or False Hope?

By John Carey for the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the…

Manure from CAFOs contains more than 150 pathogens that have the potential to contaminate water supplies, while fumes and particulate matter elevate rates of asthma, lung disease and bronchitis<br />among farm workers and people living nearby, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Call for Tougher CAFO Rules in MT

Rural advocates are calling on the state to tighten the rules governing Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations - or CAFOs - in rural Montana…

An estimated 2.4 million people work on farms and ranches nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Census of Agriculture. (Stiefi/Adobe Stock)

No Heat Protections for Michigan Outdoor Workers

By Mónica Cordero, Investigate Midwest/Report for America and Eva Tesfaye, Harvest Public Media for Investigate Midwest.Broadcast version by …

An estimated 2.4 million people work on farms and ranches nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Census of Agriculture. (J�rgen F�lchle/Adobe Stock)

Outdoor Workers in Missouri Suffering from Heat Exposure

By Mónica Cordero, Investigate Midwest/Report for America and Eva Tesfaye, Harvest Public Media for Investigate Midwest.Broadcast version by …

One of every five households in Arkansas is considered food insecure, according to the nonprofit Feeding America. (Adobe Stock)

Nutrition Program Would Expand Access to Healthy Foods in Rural Arkansas

September is Hunger Action Month, and an advocacy group is working to get legislation expanded to provide more healthy foods to people in rural …

An estimated 2.4 million people work on farms and ranches nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Census of Agriculture. (Diego/Adobe Stock)

Ohio Falls Short in Protecting Outdoor Workers from Heat

By Mónica Cordero, Investigate Midwest/Report for America and Eva Tesfaye, Harvest Public Media for Investigate Midwest.Broadcast version by …

Beef consumption in the United States reached a new high in 2021, when 30 billion pounds were consumed. It's an increase of about 8.7% compared to the previous year, according to Statista. (Adobe Stock)

Community Advocates Call for Support of Beef Labeling Act

Iowa farmers have sent hundreds of comments to their U.S. senators, urging them to support legislation to change the way beef is labeled in the …

A University of Illinois report says such factors as climate change, fluctuating markets and the cost of operations are major stressors that farmers can't always control. (Adobe Stock)

Illinois Expands Farmers' Access to Mental-Health Services

Research shows that farmers die from suicide at a rate twice as high as the rest of the population, and Illinois officials are taking steps to help …

More than 100 U.S. crops depend on pollinators, which provided approximately $18 billion of value in 2020. In Nebraska, fruit orchards and melon crops in particular are dependent upon honeybee pollination. (kosolovsky/Adobe Stock)

Seasoned NE Beekeeper Abuzz Over Bee Lawns, Other Bee-Friendly Practices

Bees and other pollinators are indispensable to a huge number of crops, and in Nebraska as well as across the country their numbers have been …

The National Audubon Society report states that if meaningful action is taken now to stabilize the <br />climate, 76% of climate-vulnerable bird species will experience less range loss. (Kevin/AdobeStock)

Report: Audubon Call to Action for Renewable Energy, Bird Protection

A new report highlights the need for more electric transmission, while showing how it can be implemented without hurting our feathered friends…

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture expected to grant more than $800,000 in USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant dollars in 2023. (trongnguyen/Adobe Stock)

Students at Eight Rural NE Schools To Learn 'Specialty Crop' Production

Students in eight rural Nebraska schools will soon be getting hands-on experience in "specialty crop" production thanks to a two-year U.S. Department …

The Human League says factory farming causes significant damage to rural communities, surrounding environments, and the farmed animals themselves. (zhang yongxin/Adobe Stock)

Rural Advocacy Groups: Corporate Farming Infringing on MO Family Farms

Despite the goal to unite Missourians around a common cause, rural advocacy groups have been pushing the EPA for more regulation from the Clean …

With 23.6 million hogs in Iowa, the state continues to dominate the nation's hog production industry. Minnesota and Nebraska rank a distant second and third with 8.6 million and 8.3 million hogs respectively, according to Iowa Source. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Blast EPA Over 'Inaction' on Confinement Rules

Clean-water activists are angry over a decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to sidestep action on threats to water posed by factory …

Illinois Environmental Group Seeks Ban on Pesticides Harmful to Bees

An Illinois group reported toxic pesticides are causing irreversible damage to young, developing bees, putting the bee population in decline and food …

So far, 283 projects in Colorado have been identified as priorities under the Inflation Reduction Act. (Adobe Stock)

IRA Funding Set to Boost Colorado's Clean Energy Economy

This month marks one year since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, the nation's first significant investment in addressing climate change…

The Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program was established in 1977. (Xavier Ascanio/Adobe Stock)

Maryland Adds 1400 Acres of Preserved Farmland

The Maryland Board of Public Works recently approved the preservation of several working farms. The Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation …

Spending in local food systems, such as weekly farmer's markets, leads to thriving communities, according to the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. (Adobe Stock)

Appalachian Region Focus of New Federal Food Business Grant Program

A new $40 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will boost the resources and assistance for farmers and food businesses in Appalachia…

Students at New Mexico State University and three other Hispanic-serving institutions are benefiting from a federal grant designed to increase the placement of Hispanic graduates at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (CookieStudio/AdobeStock)

NMSU Trains Hispanic Students as Next-Gen Ag Leaders

Hispanic students at New Mexico State University who are interested in agricultural careers will get help, starting this semester, from a program …

Wyoming has been a leader nationally on protecting wildlife migration corridors, including vast tracts of grasslands key for wildlife connectivity. (Adobe Stock)

Grasslands Protectors Chart Restoration Course in Cheyenne

More than 300 ranchers, tribal members, conservationists, researchers, federal and state agency officials gathered in Cheyenne last week to find ways …

A bipartisan group of attorneys general in 31 states, including Iowa, and the District of Columbia are partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to enhance competition and protect consumers in food and agricultural markets. Iowa has its own law, but will support any federal action. (Adobe stock)

IA Investigates Possible Food-Price Gouging

Iowa is part of a bipartisan effort around the nation to strengthen enforcement and prevent anti-trust activity within the nation's food system…

Roughly 30 states now allow some form of raw-milk sales, including North Dakota. (Pixabay)

Raw Milk Gets Foot in the Door in ND, But Health Risk Warnings Remain

North Dakota has joined the raw-milk movement. The state now allows limited sales of the product, and officials are urging caution for consumers who …

Colorado has been a leader nationally on protecting wildlife migration corridors, including vast tracts of grasslands key for wildlife connectivity. (Adobe Stock)

Impact of Lost Grasslands on Rural Economies and Carbon Sinks

More than 300 ranchers, tribal members, conservationists, researchers, federal and state agency officials gathered in Cheyenne last week to find ways …

Community health centers serve one in 11 people across the country. (Kirsten Davis, peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

Week Spotlights Community Health Centers Removing Barriers to Care

Events across the country are marking this as National Health Center Week, including in Oregon. Community health centers provide affordable health …

Summit Carbon Solutions is seeking land agreements and permit approval in several Midwestern states, including North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa, for a proposed pipeline that would collect carbon emissions from ethanol plants and store them underground. (Adobe Stock)

After ND Permit Rejection, Carbon Pipeline Opponents Won't Rest

Groups tracking energy policy in the Midwest are sizing up the impact of North Dakota's decision to decline a permit for a controversial pipeline proj…

Arkansas is a major exporter of rice, soybeans, cotton, poultry and feed grains. Of the 49,346 farms statewide, 97% are family-owned. (Branex/AdobeStock)

Bill Aims to Foster Farmer-led Education Networks in Arkansas

New federal legislation aims to help farmers in Arkansas and elsewhere share their knowledge of conservation practices as they face an increasing numb…

With 52,000 farms and 7.3 million acres of farmland, agriculture is a big business in Pennsylvania, accounting for approximately $83.8 billion in direct economic output and 280,500 jobs. (Kegfire/AdobeStock)

Farmer Education Bill to Tackle Impacts of Climate Change in PA

New federal legislation aims to help farmers in Pennsylvania and elsewhere share their knowledge of conservation practices as they face an increasing …

Agriculture in Mississippi is a $9.72 billion industry. There are approximately 34,700 farms in the state, covering 10.4 million acres. (Brastock Images/AdobeStock)

Bill Aims to Advance Farmer-Led Conservation Education in Mississippi

New federal legislation aims to help farmers in Mississippi and elsewhere share their knowledge of conservation practices as they face an increasing n…

A recent American Farmland Trust survey revealed that over 50% of farmers surveyed sought conservation education from another farmer, versus 20% who looked for help from the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Bill Aids Farmer Education to Tackle Impacts of Climate Change

New federal legislation aims to help farmers in Maine and elsewhere share their knowledge of conservation practices as they face an increasing number …

North Carolina farm workers have been organizing in similar fashion to those in Virginia. An Oxfam study found one in four workers is paid less than the federal minimum wage, and more than half aren't paid enough to meet their basic needs. (Adobe Stock)

Labor Rights Group Helps VA Migrant Workers Unionize

Migrant farm workers in Virginia are organizing for better workplace treatment. The Farm Labor Organizing Committee has developed a union with two …

Farmworkers have organized in the Bellingham area every year since Honesto Silva Ibarra died in 2017. (Community to Community Development)

Walk Remembers Farmworker's Death, Hiroshima Bombing

An event is being held this weekend to honor a farmworker who died on the job in Bellingham. It also coincides with the anniversary of the dropping …

Part of the Rebuild Rural America Act would establish the Rural Future Corps, placing AmeriCorps Fellows in rural areas to expand critical services. In New York, rural counties experienced a population decline of 50,000, double the rate of urban counties. (Adobe Stock)

Congressional Bill Could Provide Billions to Rural NYers

Legislation in Congress aims to provide money to rural communities in New York and across the U.S. The Rebuild Rural America Act would allocate $50-…

According to the National Agricultural Law Center, more than a dozen states have taken to steps to restrict or prohibit foreign entities from buying U.S. farmland. (Adobe Stock)

ND Joins Movement to Ban Foreign Ownership of Farmland

A pair of new North Dakota laws go into effect today that ban foreign entities from buying up land in the state. Advocates for smaller farmers see it …

From Florida to Texas and California, excessive heat warnings have plagued the United States for weeks. (ALAN/AdobeStock)

TX Bill Banning Heat-Related Worker Breaks Could Be Overridden

Scorching temperatures are not letting up across much of the Southwest, including Texas, just as the issue of how to protect outdoor workers heats up …

AZ Joins USDA to Tackle Lack of Competition in Food Industry

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has joined a group of bipartisan state attorneys general to beef up enforcement and prevent anti-trust activity wi…

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Rural/Farming

Growing veggies with a side of solar cuts emissions, boosts land access

Study: Thousands of acres of MD farmland facing saltwater intrusion

Advocates bring attention to racism rooted in farming across NC

Hunger Action Month: Farm Bill offers chance to support, expand SNAP

WI ag groups in 'wait-and-see mode' on Farm Bill

TX AgriStress Helpline highlighted for Suicide Prevention Month

IA small farm advocates call for less corporate land control

Uncovering Wyoming's Hispanic heritage along Manito Trail

Harvest Celebration Marks Decades-Long Quest to Address Food Insecurity

EPA Upholds MT Farmers' 'Right to Repair'

Advocates Seek Better Land Access for Marginalized Farmers

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

Rural America Organizes to Create More Opportunities

ND Farming Community Joins Push for Jumpstart on Farm Bill Talks

Renewable Natural Gas: Climate Change Solution or False Hope?

Advocates Call for Tougher CAFO Rules in MT

No Heat Protections for Michigan Outdoor Workers

Outdoor Workers in Missouri Suffering from Heat Exposure

Nutrition Program Would Expand Access to Healthy Foods in Rural Arkansas

Ohio Falls Short in Protecting Outdoor Workers from Heat

Community Advocates Call for Support of Beef Labeling Act

Illinois Expands Farmers' Access to Mental-Health Services

Seasoned NE Beekeeper Abuzz Over Bee Lawns, Other Bee-Friendly Practices

Report: Audubon Call to Action for Renewable Energy, Bird Protection

Students at Eight Rural NE Schools To Learn 'Specialty Crop' Production

Rural Advocacy Groups: Corporate Farming Infringing on MO Family Farms

Advocates Blast EPA Over 'Inaction' on Confinement Rules

Illinois Environmental Group Seeks Ban on Pesticides Harmful to Bees

IRA Funding Set to Boost Colorado's Clean Energy Economy

Maryland Adds 1400 Acres of Preserved Farmland

Appalachian Region Focus of New Federal Food Business Grant Program

NMSU Trains Hispanic Students as Next-Gen Ag Leaders

Grasslands Protectors Chart Restoration Course in Cheyenne

IA Investigates Possible Food-Price Gouging

Raw Milk Gets Foot in the Door in ND, But Health Risk Warnings Remain

Impact of Lost Grasslands on Rural Economies and Carbon Sinks

Week Spotlights Community Health Centers Removing Barriers to Care

After ND Permit Rejection, Carbon Pipeline Opponents Won't Rest

Bill Aims to Foster Farmer-led Education Networks in Arkansas

Farmer Education Bill to Tackle Impacts of Climate Change in PA

Bill Aims to Advance Farmer-Led Conservation Education in Mississippi

Bill Aids Farmer Education to Tackle Impacts of Climate Change

Labor Rights Group Helps VA Migrant Workers Unionize

Walk Remembers Farmworker's Death, Hiroshima Bombing

Congressional Bill Could Provide Billions to Rural NYers

ND Joins Movement to Ban Foreign Ownership of Farmland

TX Bill Banning Heat-Related Worker Breaks Could Be Overridden

AZ Joins USDA to Tackle Lack of Competition in Food Industry