Crop insurance is a huge part of the farm bill debate in Washington this year. The Senate recently passed a bill that would expand the heavily subsidized program, though with some limits. In the House, several pending amendments would curb how much the government covers farmers' premiums. But the premiums aren’t the only part of the system supported by taxpayers.
Scientists will fan out across the Midwest, testing waterways for pesticides and nutrients used in agriculture in the hopes they’ll be able to find out how these chemicals are changing the development of fish, frogs, bugs and algae.
Last year, one of the country’s largest Community Supported Agriculture share providers went bankrupt. While the story behind its bankruptcy is complex, it also sheds light on what a CSA's size can mean for its future.
Community Supported Agriculture operations, CSAs, are often considered one of the best ways to restore a connection to the foods we eat. But running a CSA can bring with it some tricky business decisions.
Midwestern farmers are suffering from "weather whiplash." In the last three years, there’s been flooding, then record-setting drought, and now flooding again. So what will Mother Nature bring this year?
Individual state constitutions across the nation spell out a host of guaranteed rights for their citizens … for example, same sex marriage or collective bargaining. But what about the right to farm?
A California-based project called Lexicon of Sustainability uses pictures of farmers and their own words to explore the meaning of certain farming methods. Previously concentrated on the coasts, the Lexicon project hopes to engage communities throughout farm country as well.
American agriculture has a proud history to share, a story to tell. But getting the attention of a tech-savvy nation that has mostly moved away from its farm roots has been difficult. Today, though, there is a glimmer of hope for farm fans: the Smithsonian Institution is paying house calls to rural America.
Many Midwestern cities have a long history of resettling refugees. But fertile farmland calls to those refugees who farmed in their home countries. In response, social service agencies have worked to find availble land for urban refugees to cultivate.
As lawmakers debate the Farm Bill in Washington, millions of dollars in rural development grants and loans are at stake for small businesses across the country. With budget cuts likely, the USDA is adjusting how these funds are used. But there’s concern that a tighter belt means farmers and ranchers in small towns will be left behind.
