-
This farmer's livelihood was ruined by PFAS-contaminated fertilizer that few Midwest states test forBiosolids — a type of treated sewage byproduct from wastewater treatment plants — are used as a nutrient-rich fertilizer on farms across the Midwest. But a group of toxic “forever chemicals” are slipping through the cracks and could be inadvertently contaminating millions of acres of farmland.
-
Every four years, the 2nd Congressional Districts in Nebraska and Maine become mini swing states in the presidential election. That’s because those states can split their electoral vote by district, instead of giving all the votes to the popular vote winner. Does the split vote approach offer a better option for the electoral college?
-
An Environmental Working Group report questions the effectiveness of some farming practices that the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently added to its Environmental Quality Incentives Program, which incentives conservation practices. The USDA counters that the practices have gone through “a rigorous science-based evaluation process.”
-
The Environmental Protection Agency announced last week that the U.S. will allow year-round sales in several Midwestern states in 2025. Environmental advocates, however, say the decision is a step in the wrong direction.
-
Despite the fact that more women are going into veterinary medicine than ever before, some female practitioners in rural areas still face discrimination and pay gaps — problems experts say the industry will need to overcome to fill a shortage of animal care in those communities.
-
The sale of a fertilizer plant in southeast Iowa to Koch Industries is shining a spotlight on consolidation in the industry. Several groups are asking the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to carefully review the deal.
-
Seas of corn and wheat stretch out across the High Plains, but a huge portion of those fields used to be native grassland. To conserve what’s left, a new program will work with ranchers, and it’s backed by some of the biggest beef buyers like Burger King.
-
Aging farmers and fewer farms in the new agriculture census should be a 'wake up call,' says VilsackThe average farmer in the U.S. is now 58 years old, according to the Census of Agriculture, released Tuesday. There are also fewer farms in the country than there were in the last census.
-
As the number of wind and solar farms increases, so does opposition in the rural areas where they’re being built. While more counties and townships passed restrictions in the last year, some states are responding by passing laws making it harder for local governments to say no to wind and solar.
-
Winter tends to be the cloudiest part of the year, but data shows there were more overcast days than usual in parts of the region.