Section: Farm & Ranch

Cuts to local food programs affect WY schools, food banks, producers

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By: Kathleen Shannon, Public News Service |

Federal programs supporting local food purchasing by food banks and schools have helped feed communities and support farmers but the Trump administration has cut those programs. Last fall, the Biden administration announced more than $1 billion for the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement and the Local Food for Schools program, originally designed to bolster local food networks during the

Read & Share   sourced from: Public News Service

SD farmer flexes drought-fighting muscle in face of dry conditions

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By: Mike Moen, Public News Service |

The South Dakota region has seen some wet weather in recent days, but the entire state is still in varying levels of drought status. That has farmers prepping for a potentially dry planting and growing season. Data show persistent droughts have become a headache for farmers in this part of the country, even with South

Read & Share   sourced from: Public News Service

This is why Canada has plenty of eggs — and the U.S. doesn’t

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by: MinotVoice  |  

Egg prices in the U.S. have soared, and the government is searching for solutions. Just across the border, Canada seems to have cracked the code—its egg supply remains steady and affordable. The difference? Smaller farms, a tightly managed supply system, and fewer free-range birds exposed to avian flu. Meanwhile, the U.S. industry, built for volume

Read & Share   sourced from: NPR

Dairy, Meat, and Growing Water Scarcity

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by: MinotVoice  |  

Freshwater is a limited resource, and how we use it matters. Agriculture, especially meat and dairy production, accounts for most of the world’s water consumption, with a significant portion going toward growing feed crops. In places like California and Utah, shifting weather patterns and increasing demand are prompting conversations about more efficient water use. Experts

Read & Share   sourced from: Sentient

MO advocates join fight against corporate influence in agriculture

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By: Chrystal Blair,, Public News Service |

Advocates for small independent farmers in Missouri and around the nation are sounding the alarm about the effects of corporate agriculture on farmers and local communities. Missouri stands as the nation’s second largest farming state, with nearly 86,000 farms spanning 27 million acres. Yet, just four corporate giants – Tyson and Cargill from the U.S.,

Read & Share   sourced from: Public News Service

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New avian flu plan hatched by USDA, Experts Weigh In

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by: MinotVoice  |  

The U.S. is shifting its approach to avian flu, but experts aren’t convinced it will work. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has announced a $1 billion plan to strengthen farm biosecurity and invest in a poultry vaccine—moving away from the long-standing practice of mass bird culling. While the investment is welcome, the plan lacks key details,

Read & Share   sourced from: Sentient

Industrial farming in NC, US becomes breeding ground for bird flu

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By: Eric Tegethoff, Public News Service |

Industrial farming practices could be boosting the spread of bird flu. Avian influenza has been detected in poultry across the country, including in North Carolina, where 3.3 million birds had to be culled because of the disease at one farm alone in January. Rania Masri, co-director of the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network, said concentrated animal

Read & Share   sourced from: Public News Service

John Deere faces lawsuit as lawmakers introduce right-to-repair bills 

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by: MinotVoice  |  

For decades, farmers have faced an uphill battle when it comes to fixing their own equipment, often forced to rely on manufacturers for costly and time-consuming repairs. Now, momentum is building for change. More than a dozen states have introduced right-to-repair bills in 2025, following a major lawsuit against John Deere & Co. for allegedly

Read & Share   sourced from: Investigate Midwest

ND farmer Weather Service cuts threaten science of farming

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By: Mike Moen, Public News Service |

Knowing weather patterns is part of farmers’ skillset, helping them protect their land and profits. But a North Dakota producer worries about the future of those tools as the Trump administration cuts staff at the National Weather Service. Reports surfaced late last week that hundreds of probationary employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Read & Share   sourced from: Public News Service

New Kentucky program aims to boost local farm to schools partnerships

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By: Nadia Ramlagan, Public News Service |

Kentucky is launching a new program aimed at rewarding school districts that buy food directly from farmers in the Commonwealth. Three schools will be awarded $10,000, $8,000 and $6,000 for their efforts to serve local produce and meat. Dana Feldman, executive director of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, says farming is the backbone of the

Read & Share   sourced from: Public News Service

Iowa farmers push for country of origin beef labeling / Public News Service

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by: MinotVoice  |  

When you buy beef at the grocery store, do you know where it came from? Iowa farmers say you should—and they’re pushing Congress to bring back country-of-origin labeling for beef and pork. The rule once required meat to be labeled with its source, but it was repealed in 2015 after trade disputes. Now, advocates like

Read & Share   sourced from: Public News Service

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North TX county declares disaster due to PFAS contamination / Public News Service

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By: Freda Ross, Public News Service |

A north Texas commissioners’ court has declared a county disaster because of PFAS contamination. Johnson County Commissioners are asking Gov. Greg Abbott to join the declaration. PFAS – also known as forever chemicals – have been found in soil, groundwater, and surface water across the county. Commissioner Larry Woolley said the problem has been going on

Read & Share   sourced from: Public News Service

Utah bill wants more labeling transparency for cultivated meat products

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By: Alex Gonzalez, Public News Service |

A Utah legislator has introduced a bill to increase transparency for consumers in the Beehive State when purchasing cultivated meat products. Cultivated meats are genuine animal meat, but are produced by cultivating animal cells in a controlled environment. But since the beginning of the year, two U.S. states have proposed cultivated meat bans as policymakers

Read & Share   sourced from: Public News Service

First Outbreak of Highly Pathogenic H5N9 Reported in U.S. Ducks

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by: MinotVoice  |  

A new strain of bird flu, called highly pathogenic H5N9, has been identified at a duck farm in California. This marks the first U.S. detection of this particular H5N9 variant, distinguishing it from the more common H5N1 strain that has been associated with several human infections. While scientists are closely monitoring the situation, current assessments

Read & Share   sourced from: Live Science

State-of-the-art drone technology flies into KMOT Ag Expo

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by: MinotVoice  |  

In the evolving world of agriculture, drones are becoming essential tools for farmers, streamlining tasks and enhancing efficiency. At the KMOT Ag Show, a new 3-foot drone from Tenacity Ag, based in Minnesota, showcases just how far this technology has come. Capable of covering 60 acres in an hour, these drones not only spray crops

Read & Share   sourced from: KMOT

134M poultry and counting: Interactive charts show hardest-hit counties in bird flu crisis

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By: Lauren Cross, Investigate Midwest |

The latest data from the CDC and USDA show the continued devastating effects of bird flu outbreaks across the United States – with Iowa, the nation’s leading egg producer, suffering substantial losses. Since November 2023, more than 12.1 million poultry birds have been affected in Sioux County, Iowa. On Jan. 17, health officials in Georgia,

Read & Share   sourced from: Investigate Midwest