Despite potential, Midwestern farms struggle to market fish
INDIANAPOLIS — When drastic increases in food costs spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic left Andrew Caplinger struggling to find fresh catfish for his restaurants, he decided to try “an experimental” solution — growing his own. In the coming months, the Indianapolis restaurant chain Caplinger’s Fresh Catch Seafood will begin sourcing its second most popular menu […]
Agriculture companies have lots of job openings in STEM fields, far from the farm
Agriculture companies are looking for people who are interested in science, and hiring managers are increasingly looking for people who don’t have traditional ag backgrounds. ST. LOUIS — Jobs in agriculture don’t just take place on the farm. Across the Midwest, plant science and ag companies are looking for scientists and others in STEM to […]
War and drought are affecting the world’s wheat supply. That could mean higher prices at the grocery store
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine cut off wheat exports, while drought conditions in the Great Plains will further reduce grain stocks. Reduced supplies could trickle down into higher prices for grocery list staples, such as bread and pasta. Global wheat supplies have been tightened from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and now the crop faces a domestic […]
Beefalo — producers say this cattle and bison crossbreed provides the best of both
The crossbreed gained some attention in the 1970s. Supporters today say there is big potential to provide better, healthier meat by combining the best qualities of the two animals, in just the right amount. RAYMONDVILLE, Mo. — Bison produce very lean meat, but they are wild animals that can be difficult to raise on a […]
War and drought are affecting the world’s wheat supply. That could mean higher prices at the grocery
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine cut off wheat exports, while drought conditions in the Great Plains will further reduce grain stocks. Reduced supplies could trickle down into higher prices for grocery list staples, such as bread and pasta. Global wheat supplies have been tightened from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and now the crop faces a domestic […]
Champaign County survey is the first step in filling rural internet gaps
URBANA — Surveyors will start knocking on doors in rural Champaign County this weekend to ask residents if they are happy with their internet service. Champaign County officials commissioned the survey to find the most efficient way to close internet gaps with $3 million in COVID-19 relief. “There might be a way that we can […]
One year later, farmers of color are still waiting on billions of federal relief dollars
The American Rescue Plan promised $4 billion in debt relief to “socially disadvantaged farmers.” But a swarm of lawsuits from banks and white farmers alleging discrimination has put the aid on hold. Barbara Norman remembers exactly how she felt when she first opened the letter from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It was a cold, […]
How small companies bring fast internet to rural places that telecom giants ignore
Installing fiber-optic internet in sparsely populated places like western Kansas is extremely expensive, even with government subsidies. But some smaller, local broadband providers are finding ways to make it work where the big national companies have not. https://cpa.ds.npr.org/s8/audio/2022/05/050222-dc-sk-ruralbroadband-webmix.mp3 HAYS, Kansas — With a family of five and a farming operation to run, Clay Scott’s home […]
Black farmers have lost $326 billion worth of farmland, study says
For the first time, researchers have assigned a value to the Black-owned farmland lost over the past century. Throughout the 20th century, Black farmers in the U.S. were forced to give up millions of acres of farmland. A new study puts a number to that loss — $326 billion. Discriminatory lending practices at the federal […]
Kernza — the grain you’ve never heard of that could revolutionize farming
https://cpa.ds.npr.org/s60/audio/2022/05/kernzawebaudio.mp3 The perennial grain can produce an annual crop even as it stays in the ground for up to four years. Its deep root system helps pull carbon out of the air and makes it more resistant to floods and drought. This story was produced in partnership with the Food & Environment Reporting Network Carmen […]
Biden visits Illinois; Sees bigger role for US farms due to Ukraine war
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden wants to put a spotlight on the spike in food prices from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Democrat plans to travel on Wednesday to an Illinois farm to emphasize how U.S. agricultural exports can relieve the financial pressures being felt worldwide. The war in Ukraine has disrupted supply of that […]
Farmers in the Plains are in ‘dire straits’ due to drought, wildfire conditions
Most of Illinois has had plenty of rain, but even with a few recent rains, much of the Great Plains are in a drought. Wildfires have swept across the grasslands and farmers are worried about how they’ll make it through the growing season. https://cpa.ds.npr.org/s60/audio/2022/05/drought-in-plains-hpm-web2.wav Listen to this story here. Randy Uhrmacher is in his tractor, […]
Antique tractor sells for $1.47 million in Illinois, shattering the world record
The 1913 CASE 30-60 is one of just five that still exist, making the model highly sought after by antique tractor enthusiasts. A century-year-old tractor just became the most expensive tractor ever sold. The 1913 CASE 30-60 model tractor sold at an auction house in Illinois for a whopping $1.47 million. It’s one of only […]
Most farmers are climate skeptics. But it turns out improving their soil also fights climate change
This story was produced in partnership with the Food & Environment Reporting Network Climate change is not a big concern for Lin Warfel. Sure, he’s noticed the increasing rainfall over the 60 odd years he’s been farming corn and soybeans in central Illinois — especially when ponds form in his soybean fields. But he’s pretty […]
Pork producers are taking a gamble to get more money for lobbying and lawsuits
Looking for ways to fund lobbying and legal efforts to preserve their way of business, pork producers are turning down guaranteed money that could go to advertising and marketing. Pork producers are feeling threatened by attempts to change the way they raise pigs. So much so that they made the surprising move of reducing the […]