Harvest Public Media

Following in the steps of her mother and grandmother, farmer Sharon Pennington spent many years raising orphan calves and nurse cows as an additional source of income on her farm in northern Missouri. Now, due to an alpha-gal diagnosis, she has halted this operation.

Rebecca Smith

KBIA

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.

Astronomy professor Vayujeet Gokhale poses near a light that causes excessive glare, skyglow and disruption to wildlife at Thousand Hills State Park’s marina. The park is switching to lighting that works better for human eyes and the environment.

Celia Llopis-Jepsen

Kansas News Service

Environment & Agriculture

Help scientists document Midwest light pollution by looking at Orion

Celia Llopis-Jepsen

Half gallon cartons of whole milk with red labels are seen on a shelf behind glass.

Angela Major

Wisconsin Public Radio

Environment & Agriculture

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

Hope Kirwan

The Latest Harvest Stories

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.
Environment & Agriculture

Farmers are in line for billions of bailout money. Will it be enough to offset losses?

Rachel Cramer

The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to send “bridge” payments to farmers who grow soybeans, cotton and other crops before March. Commodity groups and economists say the aid brings relief to farmers and their lenders, but they need long-term solutions.
Environment & Agriculture

Hunger rose slightly in the U.S., a new report shows. The USDA says it will stop tracking the data

Anna Pope

Federal data found that millions of people struggled to get enough food in 2024. The report will be the final publication of such data after the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it will scrap the annual hunger survey.
Environment & Agriculture

Hemp farming is booming again. A federal ban on hemp-derived THC products puts the crop in jeopardy

Molly Ashford

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.