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.
Tag: agriculture
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.
Americans are drinking less. What does that mean for winemakers in the Heartland?
The American Heartland has experienced a boom in wineries over the last three decades. But with U.S. wine sales trending down since 2019, some producers are feeling the effects more than others.
Farmers caught in Trump’s trade war wait for bailout. But many call it a temporary fix
The Trump administration is promising billions in a bailout for farmers. This harvest season the trade war with China has added to the farm economy’s woes, as producers deal with lower crop prices and high costs.
Multiple Midwest towns are proud to be ‘popcorn capitals.’ But who still grows the crop?
Popcorn festivals and even “popcorn capitals of the world” dot the middle of the country. Yet this ubiquitous snack is grown on fewer than 1,000 farms in the U.S. today.
USDA’s DEI Purge: How Trump and Rollins are reshaping American agriculture
The Trump administration is decrying diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The move is hurting communities and undermining its own goals for agriculture.
Moderate drought expected to persist in Central Illinois despite rain threats
The lack of rain has led to moderate drought for nearly all of McLean County. The far southeastern tip of the county is in severe drought, along with Champaign-Urbana and eastern Illinois.
Why are locally-grown fruits and veggies often more expensive than what’s at the grocery store?
As part of the “Food Routes” series, Harvest Public Media explores three big factors that affect produce prices in the Midwest and Great Plains.
USDA canceled a support program for small businesses. This Midwest grower may lose her farm
Farmers who were promised funding through the federal Regional Food Business Centers have been left in limbo after the Trump administration shut down the program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it will honor grants the program already approved, but it’s unclear when.
Will Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ help farmers in the Midwest and Great Plains? It depends
The massive legislation extends tax cuts and increases safety nets for farmers who grow commodities, like corn, wheat and rice. But deep cuts to federal food assistance spending could hurt specialty growers who benefit from programs like Double Up Food Bucks.
Some farmers are using this new, experimental practice to help prevent flooding
Across much of the Midwest, the atmosphere is becoming warmer and retaining more water, leading to heavier downpours. A two-crop system called relay intercropping could help farmers buffer weather whiplash and boost profits.
Beef prices are at an all-time high. Here’s why it’s gotten so expensive
Shoppers are seeing record high beef prices at the grocery store. That’s in part because the number of cattle in the U.S. is at an all-time low, while consumer demand has remained strong.
A federal bill would make it easier for farmers to kill protected black vultures
Black vultures have a reputation for killing newborn livestock, which can be a problem for ranchers in the Great Plains and Midwest. Legislation efforts aim to remove permit requirements for farmers to shoot or capture the birds.
Farmers are taking on more debt. Some worry more financial stress could be ahead
Farmers continued to take on more debt through the first quarter of 2025, prolonging a trend from last year. That’s as farm incomes have shrunk over the last couple of years, and some worry President Trump’s tariffs could make economic conditions tougher.
The Trump administration pauses a moonshot push to grow biofuel crops with less fertilizer
10 days after taking office, the Trump administration decided to hold off on a $38 million investment that the energy department had previously boasted could save farmers $6 billion in fertilizer spending.