Farmworker Visa Progam Being Modernized, But Critics Say Changes Aren’t Enough
Farmers have been struggling for years to hire enough workers, and increasingly turn to the H-2A temporary visa program . Previously, farmers took out…
Global Ag Experts Converge On Kansas To Talk Conservation, But Hear Little About ‘Climate Change’
MANHATTAN, Kansas — A bus filled with livestock industry representatives from South America, Australia, Africa and Europe drove past rows of pens and…
A New Law Allows More Farmers To Qualify For Bankruptcy, And Some Are Thinking About It
It’s a difficult year for many farmers in the United States. A wet spring flooded crops and delayed planting across the Midwest, while trade conflicts…
Iowa’s Rural Voters Are The First To Have A Say, Which Holds Sway Over Candidates’ Policies
Presidential candidates have been fanning out across Iowa for months ahead of the 2020 election, creating an opportunity for voters to get agricultural…
Without Adequate Crop Scouting, Pests Like Hungry Caterpillars Can Eat Through Farmers’ Profits
Walking through rows of growing crops helps farmers monitor for harmful insects, leaves that are damaged by disease or other problems that could reduce…
Farming Is Headed Toward A Gene-Editing Revolution, And Hoping The Public Comes Along, Too
Sci-fi writers have long warned about the dangers of modifying organisms. They come in forms ranging from accidentally creating a plague of killer…
Reporter’s Notebook: Knowing What’s In The Heart(land)
Reporting any story means having to learn more about myself, what I care about and what I want to do next. For example, I once
The Corn Belt’s Traditional Summer Job Of Detasseling Delayed By Weather
Every summer, thousands of Midwestern kids as young as 13 load onto school buses early in the morning to do one of the hottest, dirtiest temporary jobs…
Hemp And The Challenges Of Farming’s Frontier
There’s millions of dollars to be made from growing hemp, which for years was lumped in and vilified with its sister plant, marijuana. With the…