Harvest Public Media

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Farmers may lose a USDA program that helps them adapt to climate change

Rachel Cramer

In 2014, the U.S. Department of Agriculture created a network of “climate hubs” to understand how climate change affects agriculture and forestry and help farmers adapt to more extreme and unpredictable weather. Now, the future of these hubs is uncertain.

Cargo ships could offer a new market for ethanol and biodiesel — and American farmers who grow corn and soybeans. But a global deal to require cleaner fuel stalled last year after the Trump administration threatened countries with sanctions and visa restrictions.

Lance Cheung

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Environment & Agriculture

Biofuel leaders see cargo ships as a big market — if the Trump administration won't get in the way

Rachel Cramer

USDA

FLICKR (Public Domain)

Environment & Agriculture

A proposed Clean Water Act change could remove protections from 80% of American wetlands

Jess Savage

The Latest Harvest Stories

A tick bite made this rancher allergic to her own cattle. It's a worsening issue for farmers

Rebecca Smith

Alpha-gal syndrome, a tickborne allergy to red meat and dairy, has become more common in the last few years. The condition poses unique challenges to the lives and livelihoods of U.S. ranchers and farmers.
Environment & Agriculture

Full-fat dairy is back. But nutrition experts say it might not be so simple

Hope Kirwan

New federal guidelines recommend Americans include full-fat dairy in their diets. While recent studies suggest full-fat milk may not harm heart health, scientists say more research is needed.
Environment & Agriculture

Help scientists document Midwest light pollution by looking at Orion

Celia Llopis-Jepsen

More people participating in the citizen science project Globe At Night could help fill gaps in what astronomers know about the extent of skyglow.
Environment & Agriculture

Tiny pests are destroying American rice fields. It's another hit for farmers

Michael Marks

An invasive insect called the rice delphacid was a major problem for some farmers in 2025. With low prices for their crop and a high cost of doing business, many are wondering how they’ll make a profit in 2026.
Environment & Agriculture

Cow cuddles and farm-churned ice cream are helping Midwest dairies thrive despite low milk prices

Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval

Cow cuddling, ice cream churning and farm tours are among the tactics dairy farmers are employing to compensate for low milk prices
Environment & Agriculture

More U.S. farmers would be eligible for federal loans under new bipartisan bill

Will Bauer

Under the current system, producers must be the sole owner-operator of their farm or ranch to qualify for loans from the federal government. A bipartisan bill would expand the eligibility requirements for applicants.
Environment & Agriculture

U.S. farmers are growing less wheat. New varieties could help revive the industry

Calen Moore

From the Dakotas to Texas, wheat acres have been on the decline, due to higher temperatures, drought and farmers shifting to more profitable crops. New innovations could rejuvenate the state of wheat production.
Environment & Agriculture

This conservation practice boosts wildlife species on farmland, new research finds

Jess Savage

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.
Environment & Agriculture

Scientists say Trump's second term has been defined by slashed funding, layoffs and uncertainty

Kate Grumke

Scientists in the middle of the country told Harvest Public Media that 2025 was a year of major changes and uncertainty.