Midwest Hemp Is Still Getting Its Footing, But Growers Aren’t Giving Up Yet
Hemp is a hard crop to grow — just ask Jay Kata. “We were filthy and we were dirty and we were sweaty and it sucked and it was hot and it was miserable…
Lawsuit Alleges Farmworkers Sickened After Pesticide Exposure
In late July 2019, a group of migrant farmworkers from south Texas was working in a cornfield in DeWitt County, Ill., when suddenly a crop duster flew…
State And Federal Efforts To Help Small Meatpacking Plants May Take Time
A joint effort by federal and state governments to help small meatpacking plants increase their capacity is encountering some bumps. Earlier this year,…
‘Incredibly Unlikely’ China Will Meet Its Trade Targets, Expert Says
It’s been almost ten months since the signing of the first phase of a trade agreement between the United States and China. In the lofty deal, China…
“Lo arriesgo todo o nada”. La necesidad de trabajar supera las COVID preocupaciones para migrantes
En las afueras de Rantoul, en el centro-este de Illinois, unos 100 trabajadores agrícolas migrantes están viviendo en un viejo hotel localizado en una…
‘Either I Risk It All Or Nothing At All’: Migrant Workers’ Need To Work Outweighs COVID-19 Concerns
On the outskirts of Rantoul, in east-central Illinois, about 100 migrant farmworkers are living at an old hotel in a sleepy part of town. Every day at…
Plans For Agriculture Differ, But That Issue Is Unlikely To Sway The Presidential Election
Farmers are looking closely at what they might be able to expect from four more years of Donald Trump versus a Joe Biden administration, but they aren’t…
Gardening Is A ‘Silver Lining’ For Many Weary Of The Coronavirus Pandemic
In the midst of what has otherwise been a heavy, unrelenting year, many Midwesterners have found solace in the dirt. So-called “COVID gardens” have…
In An Autumn Of Uncertainties, More Kids Can Rely On Free School Lunches
As the new school year gets underway, some students are in classrooms and others are at home but one thing is now clear: all kids can get free school…
With Extra Food In Their Fields, Farmers Partner With Nonprofits To Help The Hungry
While COVID-19 has hampered farmers this year by forcing many farmers markets and restaurants to close, usually it’s the weather that threatens crops. A…
In Rural Nebraska, Combating Pandemic Hunger Requires All Hands On Deck
Lexington, Nebraska, is just one of the many rural communities that has long dealt with food insecurity, but the global pandemic both intensified need…
Help From Uncle Sam Isn’t Reaching All Farmers
When you walk into Cyndy Ash’s barn, one of the first things you notice is a huge burlap sack, bursting at the seams with wool. “We’re sitting on about…
New Study Reveals Racial Disparities Among Food Insecure Families
The number of families experiencing food insecurity has hit a record due to the pandemic, and Black and Hispanic families are disproportionately…
USDA ‘Lacks Transparency’ In How It’s Distributing Coronavirus Aid
In the past two weeks, the United States Department of Agriculture ( USDA ) has issued about $1.4 billion to agricultural producers to provide a boost…
Hemp Program Underway In Illinois
Corn and soybean fields as far as the eye can see are the typical sights of summer throughout rural areas of Illinois. But next year, ‘fields of green’…