Small town grocery stores face unique challenges. Some Midwest states are trying to help
More states in the Midwest and Great Plains are trying to support rural, independent grocery stores through tailored grant programs.
A Midwest farmer was promised money for a new delivery truck. Then Trump froze the funds
Farmers, nonprofits and state agencies received almost $3 billion in grants from the Inflation Reduction Act in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. But recent federal funding freezes have recipients concerned they won’t end up receiving money.
Bogs sink carbon dioxide ‘like no ecosystem on Earth,’ but many are at risk of being drained
Peat bogs sequester a massive amount of the Earth’s carbon dioxide. But even as scientists work to better understand bogs’ sequestration, the wetlands are under threat.
Midwest biofuel industry hopes to gain more miles under Trump’s new term, but uncertainty remains
Biofuel advocates calling on the new administration to increase ethanol and biodiesel volumes in the country’s fuel supply, expand E15 gasoline and clarify tax credits.
USAID funding freeze halts food security and ag research at Midwest university labs
The Soybean Innovation Lab based at the University of Illinois has laid off 30 employees and expects to shut down in the spring if funding isn’t restored.
Egg prices are soaring again. Here’s why and what to expect
Bird flu has killed millions of hens in recent weeks, shrinking the supply of eggs and hiking up prices at grocery stores.
A Midwest farmland owner tests a longstanding wetland conservation law called ‘swampbuster’
A case in federal court aims to dismantle a decades-old wetlands law, best known for its nickname.
For decades, the government banned hemp. Now, it’s funding hemp research
Lincoln University in Missouri is heading a USDA-funded project researching the commodity, but its prohibition created high hurdles for getting the crop off the ground.
Federal aid for farmers aims to offset losses on farms. Will it help?
The one-time payments could offer short-term support as many farmers grapple with less income and extreme weather.
Collard enthusiasts are using science and preservation to lift up rare varieties of the leafy green
Collard greens are a nutritious vegetable with a rich cultural heritage in the U.S. Now, scientists and enthusiasts are working to preserve and popularize heirloom varieties that could be tastier and more climate resilient than common grocery greens.
Trump’s proposed tariffs target big U.S. trading partners. What that could mean for Midwest farmers
Many economists and commodity groups say import taxes on products from countries such as China, Mexico and Canada could boomerang and harm U.S. agriculture.
Mississippi River mayors launch a new push for a legal agreement to manage the waterway
Legal agreements govern the Great Lakes and some river systems in the U.S., but the Mississippi River doesn’t have a compact. Some mayors on the waterway think it’s time to change that.
More of the nation’s milk supply will be tested for bird flu under a new federal rule
The new strategy aims to pinpoint where bird flu exists in the U.S. and halt its spread. There have been hundreds of cases in cattle and dozens in humans.
E. coli and listeria have forced multiple large food recalls. Here’s what to know
Millions of pounds of food have been pulled off of shelves across the country in recent months due to health concerns.
Turkey is Thanksgiving’s iconic centerpiece. But in recent years it’s started to slip from the menu
It’s been a tradition to eat turkey for Thanksgiving since the 1800s. But one economic report suggests the custom has lost footing in recent years.