Tag: agriculture

Sorghum plants grow in a line. They look almost like corn with large green leaves, but instead of a corn cob at the top, it almost looks like a flower made up of small brown spheres.

This grain could be an answer to drought-prone fields – if more Americans eat it

More farmers are showing interest in sorghum, a drought-tolerant grain. The crop is poised to expand in the U.S. – especially if Americans start consuming it.

Railroads are charging more to ship grain. U.S. farmers may have to pick up the tab

Harvest season is nearing for many farmers. But the railroads that transport their harvested grain have raised their shipping costs with record-high diesel prices. That could mean lower grain prices for growers.

An overhead shot of black and brown cows standing in dirt. The shadow of a fence casts to the left.

Cattle groups say ICE activity ripples through supply chain

Cattle industry groups in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas say U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity is resulting in delays and workforce disruptions.

A man wearing a baseball hat sits inside a green piece of farm equipment in a corn field.

Diesel has never been more expensive. That’s squeezing farmers as harvest begins

Conflicts in Iran and Russia are causing diesel prices to spike globally. That’s especially hurting U.S. farmers as they head into harvest season, the most fuel intensive period of the agricultural year.

A blue sign held up by two brick pillars reads, "United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service The Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center." The sign sits in a lawn with a flower bed with purple and yellow flowers in front of it. Pine trees stand on either side of it. Behind the sign, an American flag waves before a parking lot. A four story building with white pillars and a small tower are in the background.

This USDA lab has studied threats to food and farms for decades. Now its scientists must relocate

Federal scientists are still scrambling to find new jobs or relocate across the country as Maryland’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center’s last days of operation approach. Even as their personal lives upend, employees are concerned that BARC’s legacy of impactful research will be left behind.

A man with a brown beard wearing glasses and a blue plaid shirt reaches toward an apple on a tree.

U.S. farmers lost conservation experts in Trump’s federal cuts. Now they’re hurting for help

The Natural Resources Conservation Service lost nearly a quarter of its staff nationwide in 2025 after the Trump administration’s cuts to the federal government. Many were local experts that help farmers with soil and water conservation efforts.

A man with white hair wearing glasses, a plaid button down shirt and jeans stands in front of a green John Deere combine. The sky is blue with puffy white clouds.

Squeezed by a tough economy, many farmers are relying on decades-old machinery

More farmers are opting to repair old tractors, combines and other machinery instead of buying new upgrades. A tough farm economy and historically-high equipment prices are at least partly to blame.

Bright green pieces of land sit in a river.

Excess nutrients can lie dormant in soil for years before polluting rivers, study finds

U.S. Geological Survey researchers developed models to better understand the timing and sources contributing to nutrient pollution in streams and rivers. They say their findings can help guide efforts to improve water quality.

A bird opens it mouth as if to chirp will standing on cotton plants. The sky is light blue and has fluffy white clouds.

Synthetic fabrics kneecapped American cotton. Industry leaders have a plan to revive it

Fewer people are buying cotton thanks to the rise of synthetic fibers like nylon and polyester. Now, the U.S. cotton industry wants to boost demand for American-grown cotton with tax credits and marketing campaigns.

A man wearing a baseball hat, black t-shirt and khakis stands on a lawn in front of a tan house.

As the next generation takes over the family farm, a tough economy brings new challenges

Passing on the family farm to the next generation is typically an involved process, both financially and emotionally. A turbulent agricultural economy the past few years has made that transition even more difficult.

A man wearing a brown baseball hat, a plaid shirt and jeans holds a leaf while looking at a field of crops.

Farmers are struggling to turn a profit. How does it compare to the farm crisis in the ’80s?

Corn and soybean growers have seen several years of low commodity prices and increased costs for supplies like fertilizer and fuel. That has many farmers worried about whether they’ll turn a profit this year and drawn some comparisons to a dark time in American agriculture.

Three white bottles of Roundup sit in a carboard container.

Bayer won its Roundup case. Where does that leave thousands of pending lawsuits?

Attorneys say cases that claim the popular weedkiller causes cancer will have to change course to move forward in court after the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the agriculture company last month.

Marianne May poses at one of Frank May’s silos in Johnsburg, Illinois, on April 25, 2026. This one is particularly special to Marianne; her grandfather constructed it as an adult on the homestead he grew up on. Across the street, a matching silo stands besides Marianne May’s grandmother’s childhood home. Her grandparents were neighbors as kids.

Silos are disappearing from the farm landscape. One woman wants to track them down before they do

For 150 years, silos have been a fixture of the Corn Belt, but efforts to preserve them have been haphazard.

A person wearing gardening gloves and a plaid shirt reaches toward a zucchini plant to pick a zucchini.

Federal judge orders Trump administration to restore grants for underserved farmers

A preliminary court order reinstated federal grants largely helping Black, Indigenous, veteran and immigrant farmers access land, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut earlier this year. Now, organizations are cautiously moving forward with their projects.

A man wearing a tan baseball hat, sunglasses, a short sleeve plaid shirt and jeans opens a red hay baler in a field.

Trump reduced tariffs on farm machinery. But prices could still increase

The Trump administration lowered tariffs on farm equipment last month. But with economic pressures on farmers, equipment dealers and manufacturers, the move may not bring much relief.