Harvest Public Media

A shortage of cocoa beans is driving up the cost to make chocolate — especially for small chocolatiers. That means people buying chocolate for Easter can expect high prices.

Thousands of schools, farmers and food pantries in the Midwest and Great Plains planned on federal dollars over the next year to support local food purchases. And then the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut the programs.

The Trump administration wants to rewrite the definition for what counts as protected ‘waters of the United States.' The rule has caused frustration among farmers, but environmental attorneys worry a change could lead to more pollution.

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins assured an audience of agriculture leaders that the president would remember farmers in the midst of imposing tariffs.

National Weather Service offices across the country are suspending or reducing weather balloon flights due to low staffing. Meteorologists say the loss of data could lead to forecasting challenges and less accurate long-term outlooks.

An ornithologist spent four decades tracking 40,000 bird deaths at a single building. His records paved the way to better scientific and public understanding.

The USDA's Rural Development agency has provided billions of dollars each year to small towns, farmers and businesses. Now staffing upheaval and budget cuts brought on by the Trump administration may be eating into the agency’s effectiveness.

Another year of dry conditions could hurt production for farmers growing crops and raising livestock in the region.

Certified Naturally Grown offers farmers a cheaper and less time-consuming option to communicate how they produce their food. But terms like “natural” on food labels can be confusing for consumers.

Summit Carbon Solutions’ plan to build a pipeline across five states included the right to use eminent domain in some states. A South Dakota law says that’s no longer allowed, and an Iowa bill seeks to do the same.