Eva Tesfaye
Reporter, KCURI report on agriculture, food and water issues for Harvest Public Media and the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk. I’m based at KCUR in Kansas City, Missouri.
I previously worked at NPR’s daily science podcast Short Wave as a producer, where I also reported and hosted episodes about horticulture and energy. Before that I spent a year as an NPR Kroc fellow during which I produced for the newsmagazine Weekend Edition, reported national stories for NPR, produced for a WFIU podcast and reported for the Gulf States Newsroom from WBHM in Birmingham, Alabama.
I graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. in English. I’m an Eritrean-American who grew up in South Africa before moving to the United States.
Contact me at etesfaye@kcur.org or on Twitter @EvaRTesfaye.
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The Inflation Reduction Act provides funds for clean energy, transportation, electrification and more for rural communities, but small towns with few resources and staff may have trouble accessing those programs. -
Tar spot, a fungal disease, first appeared in the U.S. in 2015 with reports in Indiana and Illinois. Since then, it has been spreading across the Midwest.
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Kansas City’s water was last tested for toxic chemicals by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources in 2013 and found to be safe. But the new EPA rules would set higher standards for what is considered “safe.”
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Legislation is being proposed at the federal and state level to restrict foreign ownership of farmland, especially by China. The scrutiny comes after a Midwestern project was scuttled by military concerns and the flight of a Chinese spy balloon across the U.S.
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The Missouri Department of Conservation has started a new project to see how bald eagles in northwestern Missouri interact with wind turbines. Conservationists and wind energy advocates are both hoping that the results will advance both bird conservation and renewable energy goals.
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced last month that it will not apply dietary supplement regulations to the hemp product CBD. The announcement has been frustrating for hemp farmers who have been waiting years for regulation.
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Legislation and programs in states like Missouri and Nebraska are paving the way to welcome large livestock operations by limiting local control over the facilities. Some rural residents worry about the potential pollution and decreased quality of life that will bring.
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Here are some ways to get around Kansas City cheaply and safely during New Year’s celebrations this weekend, when police will be on the lookout for impaired drivers.
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A major snowstorm is coming to the Midwest and Great Plains during some of the busiest days for travel this year. Here’s how to stay safe while driving, especially on rural roads.
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A survey from Waterkeeper Alliance found chemicals known as PFAS were found in surface waters across the United States with particularly high concentrations found in some rivers in the Midwest.
