Sustainable Agriculture / Public News Service

Half of the fresh water that flows into Chesapeake Bay comes from Pennsylvania. (Adobe Stock)

Report: PA Behind in Goals for Chesapeake Bay Pollution Reduction

With a fast-approaching deadline, Chesapeake Bay Foundation's assessment of multistate progress shows Pennsylvania remains far behind in meeting its …

Kendrick Ransome has been farming in Pinetops, N.C., since 2018 on land his family has owned for generations.(Lee Everette)

Efforts to Boost Local Food-Supply Chain in Upper Coastal Plain

A new online mapping project is helping connect local growers to regional markets in the state's Upper Coastal Plain. Planning and Development …

After COVID shuttered large meat-packing operations, many Nebraskans were able to purchase locally produced meat processed at local lockers. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Make Case for Expanding Main Street Meat Lockers

Advocates for independent rural farmers are urging state lawmakers to beef up mom-and-pop meat processing and storage capacity using American Rescue P…

More than 40 million people rely on the Colorado River, which is fed by melting mountain snowpack, for drinking water. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming Could Face Multiple Years of Snowless Winters

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Wyoming and other western states are projected to see multiple years in a row without any snow as soon as 35 years out if efforts …

Those demanding beef market reform say there are not enough smaller processers for cattle ranchers to sell their product to, which reduces competition. (Adobe Stock)

Family Farm Advocates: Don't Go Small on Market Reform

HOLABIRD, S.D. -- If you've been to the supermarket lately, chances are you have noticed meat prices are higher. Family-farm advocates say profits …

According to the latest Census of Agriculture, nearly 9,000 Iowa farms use cover crops. (Adobe Stock)

BBB Includes Funding Boost for Farm Conservation Programs

GREENE, Iowa -- The proposed Build Back Better bill is getting attention for a host of funding possibilities, including one area flying under the …

Farming is Virginia's largest private industry, according to the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. (Adobe Stock)

New Land Trust Model Will Support BIPOC-led Farming in Central VA

RICHMOND, Va. -- In central Virginia, permanent access to land is one of the biggest barriers to farming. A new land-trust model aims to secure both …

Vicki Harder-Thorne is honoring 30 years of sweat equity her parents put into restoring 80 acres of land in Ottawa County. (Harder-Thorne)<br /> — Vicki Harder-Thorne is honoring 30 years of sweat equity her parents put into restoring 80 acres of land in Ottawa County. (Harder-Thorne)

Farm Succession: Honoring the Past While Protecting Land for the Future

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Succession is an inevitable process for Ohio farmers, and it can also be an opportunity to re-imagine the land. Vicki Harder-…

Black-footed ferrets rely exclusively on prairie dogs for prey and on prairie-dog burrows for shelter. (Adobe Stock)

Suit Filed Over Plan to Poison Thunder Basin Prairie Dogs

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Wildlife advocates are taking the U.S. Forest Service to court over a plan to eliminate prairie dogs from the Thunder Basin …

The N-Drip system uses low-pressure, gravity-powered "micro-irrigation" techniques to deliver full crop yields using about half the water. (CAP)

Innovative Irrigation System Aims to Save Dwindling AZ Water Supplies

PHOENIX -- The extended drought and climate change have pushed Arizona into water restrictions for 2022, and farmers could see their allotments …

Several Wisconsin groups, led by Neighborhood Food Solutions in Dane County, are developing a training and production system that will help Black farmers be more successful with grains. (Adobe Stock)

WI Program Connects Black Farmers to Grain Market

MADISON, Wis. -- Federal data show the farming industry is older and mostly white, and an emerging Wisconsin program could open more pathways by …

Colorado students are learning science, reading, history and more as they participate in Farm to School programs. (Adobe Stock)

Farm to School Programs on Rebound After COVID Closures

DENVER -- Farm to School programs are beginning to bounce back after last year's COVID closures, and more than half the state's 178 school districts …

Esther Shekinah is a research agronomist at the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, leading a project in Wisconsin to bring more women landowners into the world of conservation. (MFAI)

WI Women in Conservation Take Movement to Next Level

MADISON, Wis. - Efforts continue to close the conservation gap for women landowners in Wisconsin. This week, organizers say the movement is taking a …

The United States currently has 2,000 operational biogas systems linked to farms, landfills, wastewater treatment facilities and food waste, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. (Adobe Stock)

Align RNG Settlement Spotlights Biogas Plant Regulation

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- After the first settlement of its kind in North Carolina capping limits on emissions from a biogas plant in Sampson County…

As Midwestern farmers deal with more unpredictable weather patterns, they're urged to adopt practices such as cover cropping to make their land more resilient to flooding and other events. (Adobe Stock)

Warm Fall Weather Key to Increasing Cover Crops on IA Farms

SIOUX CITY, Iowa - Iowa's fall harvest is under way, with some farmers reporting better yields than expected. But others are still worried about …

Arkansas farmers produce more than 9 billion pounds of rice each year. (Adobe Stock)

UArk Studies Profit Potential of Farming Organic Rice

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Arkansas produces more rice than any other state, and a new grant will help farmers explore ways to transition the industry to …

Beginning in 2022, Nebraska's Department of Education will begin offering farm-to-school producer training in various regions of the state. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Farmers Fueling Students with Locally Produced Food

GERING, Neb. -- With school back in session, many Nebraska students will be fueled by fresh beef, fruits and vegetables sourced from local farms…

The Bridger-Teton National Forest occupies the traditional lands of the Shoshone-Bannock, Eastern Shoshone and Cheyenne people. (Adobe Stock)

Federal Court Rules Against Elk Feedgrounds

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- A federal court agreed with conservationists this week, ordering winter feeding of elk on the Bridger-Teton National Forest …

Puget Sound Agrarian Commons' property on Whidbey Island is about an hour north of Seattle. (Northwest Meadowscapes)

WA Project Aims to Reshape Access to Farmland

WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. - A farming project on a Puget Sound island is looking to reshape agriculture and access to land. The nonprofit Agrarian …

According to the most recent Census of Agriculture, cover-crop acres in the United States have increased to 10 million. (Adobe Stock)

WI Ag Researchers Lift the Cover on Cover Crops

EAST TROY, Wis. - Wisconsin farmers are looking ahead to the fall harvest, and those who use cover crops face a deadline to sign up for a research …

Pasture grazing cattle is a climate-friendly practice by cycling nutrients in the soil. (Drausin Wulsin)

Budget Bill Could Boost Climate-Friendly Practices in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- As the contributor of 10% of greenhouse gas emissions, agriculture has had a profound impact on climate change. Legislation in …

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says it will stop the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on all food, citing specific risks to children and farmworkers. (Adobe Stock)

EPA’s Chlorpyrifos Ban Spotlights Future of Agricultural Pesticide Use

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Experts say most agriculture producers in Kentucky won't be affected by the Environmental Protection Agency's recent decision to ban …

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and others have filed suit against the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to hold Pennsylvania accountable for polluting the bay. (Adobe Stock)

Legislation Could Bring Funding to PA for Chesapeake Bay Cleanup

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania is behind on its goal to reduce pollution into Chesapeake Bay, and clean-water proponents say legislation in …

Environmental groups have sounded the alarm over runoff from factory farms and industrial agriculture that flow into rivers in central Iowa. (Adobe Stock)

New Map Highlights Impact of Slaughter Facilities on Waterways

DES MOINES, Iowa - Some of Iowa's largest drinking-water sources have struggled with runoff from livestock facilities and farm sites. A new …

No-till farming, which involves growing crops without disrupting the soil, is considered a hallmark of conservation in agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Conservation For Sale: Connecting Heartland Farmers with Sustainable Ag

HARLAN, Iowa -- The effects of climate change are laid out in a new United Nations report, which pointed to greenhouse gas emissions. While global …

Social isolation, financial challenges and emotional fatigue are among the stressors faced by people just starting out in agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio Researchers Bring Social-Work Lens to Farming

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Researchers in Ohio are bringing a social work lens to agriculture by examining the challenges that affect farmers' mental health - …

There are more than 58 million acres of farm and ranch land in Montana. (Annika Charter-Williams)

August Challenge for Montanans: Eat Local Every Day

BILLINGS, Mont. - Montanans are being challenged this month to eat locally grown foods, every day of August. The Northern Plains Resource Council is …

A white paper from ReImagine Appalachia estimates that reforestation of mountaintop removal sites could absorb 8% to 10% of carbon emissions in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia. It's the type of project a new CCC could take on. (Adobe Stock)

Casey's Civilian Conservation Corps Could Help Fight Climate Change

HARRISBURG, Pa. - U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., wants to bring back the Civilian Conservation Corps, a public-works program from the 1930s that created …

Washington state produces 70% of the country's apples. (Michele Benoy Westmorland, Danita Delimont/Adobe Stock)

In Heat Wave's Wake, WA Advocates Call for Farmworker Protections

SEATTLE - Washington state farmworkers were among the most vulnerable during the Northwest's deadly heat wave. As the state feels more effects from …

An average of 1.7 million WIC participants receive Farmers Market Nutrition Program benefits each year. (Adobe Stock)

WIC Families Can Now Get Vouchers for Farmers Market Purchases

DENVER -- Participants in WIC, the federal nutrition assistance program for women, infants, and children, can now get vouchers to buy food at farmers …

OEFFA's 2021 Sustainable Food and Farm Tour will feature an organic dairy pasture walk. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio Farm Tour Series Back after Pandemic Pause

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Some farmers and growers in Ohio are ready to share their knowledge and showcase the work they do to get food from the field to the …

Independent cattle ranchers feel the squeeze from large meatpacking companies such as JBS. (Gerwin Schadl/Adobe Stock)

Cyberattack Offers Chance for Reform in Meat Industry

HELENA, Mont. -- Ranchers see opportunities for reform in the wake of a cyberattack on the world's largest meatpacking company. JBS controls nearly …

More sustainable agriculture practices have several benefits, including less water usage. (Worawut/Adobe Stock)

Carbon Summit in ID Aims to Grow Sustainable Ag Movement

CALDWELL, Idaho -- An event in Idaho this week hopes to plant seeds for the sustainability movement in agriculture. The Carbon Summit will be held …

Maine's ban on neonicotinoids prevents both private consumers and licensed applicators from using the pesticide. (lightpoet/Adobe Stock)

Law Bans Pesticides Seen as Harmful to Bees in Residential Landscapes

AUGUSTA, Maine -- A bill signed into law last week bans the use of neonicotinoids, neonics for short, in outdoor residential landscapes. The …

While popular in summer, nearly $20,000 in Market Bucks were spent during the winter season at Minnesota farmers markets, according to the last annual report for the program. (Adobe Stock)

MN Lawmakers Urged to Spare 'Market Bucks' Funding

LITTLE FALLS, Minn. - A popular program that gives Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients better access to healthier foods at Minnesota …

Bumblebees can die or be rendered sterile by systemic pesticides present in flower pollen. (PANNA)

Working in the Garden? Don't Forget About Bee Safety

PIERRE, S.D. - Pollinator gardens are gaining popularity this spring, but some well-meaning gardeners may not realize they could be harming the …

Illinois has a goal of reducing the nitrogen and phosphorus going into its waterways by 45% by 2025. But conservation groups say the state is far behind in reaching that goal, and needs more funding for these efforts. (Adobe Stock)

Protecting Mississippi River Key Focus of IL Fund

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - A bipartisan effort to extend a conservation fund in Illinois continues ahead of next week's budget deadline. Supporters in the …

Conservation groups have launched a campaign to stop nurseries from selling pollinator-friendly plants such as milkweed that have been grown with harmful pesticides. (Pixabay)

Nurseries, Spring Gardeners Invited to Help Save Bees, Butterflies

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- As the spring gardening season gets into full swing, groups fighting to save bees and other pollinators are asking nurseries …

Illinois' Partners for Conservation Fund, which has been around since the mid-1990s, supports conservation programs, including the Soil and Water Conservation Districts around the state. (Adobe Stock)

IL Budget Crunch Leaves Ag Conservation Funds in Danger

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Some Illinois farmers say they want to help protect natural resources, but incentives are crucial to making that happen. A …

The Market Match program doubles CalFresh dollars that recipients can spend at farmers' markets, which benefits the farmers as well as the shoppers. (Ecology Center)

Groups Want More Funding for CA Farmers' Market Program

BERKELEY, Calif. - As budget negotiations continue in Sacramento, hunger-fighting advocates are asking state lawmakers to put $20 million toward a …

The Colorado Food Pantry Assistance Grant Program distributes money to charitable pantries, who must spend the money purchasing food from local farmers and other producers. (Pixabay)

Anti-Hunger Advocates Call for Expanding Pantry Grant

LAFAYETTE, Colo. -- Anti-hunger advocates are calling on Colorado lawmakers to expand funding for the state's Food Pantry Assistance Grant. …

Aside from training programs, removing barriers to land access is seen as another way to attract younger farmers as the agriculture industry ages. (Adobe Stock)

IA Program Aims to Usher in Next Generation of Farmers

AMES, Iowa - Iowa farmers have been busy with the spring planting season. As operations hire workers for the summer, a nonprofit connects them with …

In the United States, hydroponic food production is estimated at $555 million a year, with a projected annual growth of more than 3% over the next decade. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — In the United States, hydroponic food production is estimated at $555 million a year, with a projected annual growth of more than 3% over the next decade. (Adobe Stock)

Food Groups Appeal Decision to Certify Hydroponic Crops as Organic

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- This week, the Center for Food Safety, along with a coalition of organic farmers and other groups, appealed a district court …

The Interior Department's "America the Beautiful" report outlines key principles to guide the next decade of conservation efforts. (coachwood/Adobe Stock)

Fishing to Play Key Role in Next Decade of Conservation Efforts

BRUNSWICK, Maine -- Members of the Maine fishing industry are among those looking forward to having a seat at the table, to make progress toward the …

Toxic algae blooms driven by excess nutrients give the waters of Lake Erie a greenish hue. (Adobe Stock)

Industrial Ag Runoff Seen as Major Threat to Lake Erie

TOLEDO, Ohio -- Groups advocating for clean water say they're facing an uphill battle trying to prevent animal manure and other pollution from …

Bernadette Zambrano saves seeds for Sogorea Te' Land Trust, a group based in Oakland that works to return lands to indigenous peoples. (Ines Ixierda)

New "Faithlands" Toolkit Helps Religious Groups Put Land to Good Use

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Religious groups often own large properties but don't have the expertise to make them work for the community. Now, an online tool …

The price of farmland frequently exceeds what can be earned by farming. (Pixabay)

Ohio Farmers, Young and Old, Could Benefit from Proposed Tax Credit

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio lawmakers are considering a measure to help give the next crop of farmers a strong start in the business. The Wall Street …

Connecticut, Maryland and Vermont all have banned the sale of neonicotinoids, bee-killing pesticide, according to Environment America. Florida has yet to do so, but the group hopes it also will take action in order to save the insect. (Adobe Stock)

On Earth Day, Environmentalists Push to Save Bees

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Today is Earth Day, and environmental advocates are calling on citizens to do their part to save the bees. National …

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