Cow cuddles and farm-churned ice cream are helping Midwest dairies thrive despite low milk prices
Cow cuddling, ice cream churning and farm tours are among the tactics dairy farmers are employing to compensate for low milk prices.
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U.S. farmers are growing less wheat. New varieties could help revive the industry
From the Dakotas to Texas, wheat acres have been on the decline, due to higher temperatures, drought and farmers shifting to more profitable crops.
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This conservation practice boosts wildlife species on farmland, new research finds
University of Illinois researchers analyzed traces of DNA in rivers and streams to learn how strips of trees near water — called riparian buffers — impact land species.
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As 2025 ends, farmers are still reeling from the shake up of markets and federal programs
Farmers across the central U.S. have navigated a myriad of challenges this year, including low crop prices and federal funding cuts.
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Hemp farming is booming again. A federal ban on hemp-derived THC products puts the crop in jeopardy
A federal ban on most hemp-derived THC products is expected to go into effect in November. It could eliminate the most profitable market for farmers who grow hemp.
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Deportations are set to explode — a huge worry for farmers already facing a labor shortage
With Trump’s immigration crackdown set to expand next year, some farmers fear that workers will be even harder to find, and they want Trump to do something about it.
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‘Living’ Christmas trees? Some people are choosing evergreens they can replant after the holidays
Some tree farms in the central U.S. are selling more potted Christmas trees as people seek out an eco-friendly option or look to get more than one use out of their evergreens.
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From ‘Grinchmas’ to chestnut roasts, these rural towns make the holidays central to their economy
Winter holiday festivals have become a regular way to grow revenue for America’s smallest towns. And with more people shopping online, those events are key to pulling people away from their screens and into stores.
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With a federal tax credit ending early, installing home solar is about to get more expensive
The massive tax and spending law signed in July halts a federal incentive for residential solar, and homeowners and installers are hurrying to complete projects before the end of the year. Industry experts say there are other ways to cut costs like “group buys.”
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Cottonseeds are loaded with protein. Could these seeds become a new food source?
Cottonseeds could help reduce hunger and add new revenue for farmers. One researcher has been working for decades to make edible seeds a reality.
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Trump administration will send $12 billion in bailout money to farmers hurt by trade war
Most of the package is earmarked for row-crop producers. It aims to help farmers – especially those who grow soybeans – balance out losses from high costs and a trade war with China.
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A native prairie bird lost federal protection. People are still trying to save it on private land
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates millions of lesser prairie chickens may have once scurried across a range of almost 100 million acres across the Great Plains. Today, scientists estimate there are only about 27,000 left in five states – Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Colorado.
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Small businesses feel more uneasy ahead of the holidays after a year of slow sales and high costs
A national survey found the smallest business owners are feeling less confident as they close out the year. Inflation, tariffs and shifts in consumer spending are some of the reasons why.
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Which Thanksgiving pie do you serve: pumpkin or sweet potato? There’s a rich history behind both
Are you serving pumpkin or sweet potato pie this Thanksgiving? A look at the history and cultural ties that influence why Americans may prefer one or the other.
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Welcome to Morton, Illinois — the bite-sized town that produces a whole lot of canned pumpkin
The pumpkin pie Americans enjoy each Thanksgiving often comes from pumpkins grown near Morton, Illinois.
