Rachel Cramer
Reporter, Iowa Public RadioI cover agriculture and the environment for Harvest Public Media. I'm a reporter at Iowa Public Radio, based in central Iowa.
Before returning to my home state, I was a reporter for Yellowstone Public Radio in Bozeman, Montana. Some of my favorite stories involved riding in pick-up trucks with farmers, hiking behind ecologists and chatting with Main Street business owners.
I learned how to cut tape and write for radio as a newscaster/reporter for Montana Public Radio and produced stories across the U.S. as a Crossing the Divide fellow with the GroundTruth Project in 2017.
I grew up on a small farm outside Guthrie Center, Iowa, and hold degrees from Iowa State University and the University of Montana.
You can reach me at rcramer@iowapublicradio.org.
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Researchers recently traced the birthplace of the world’s dominant cotton species to the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. Their sleuthing also uncovered a treasure trove of genetic diversity in wild populations, which could eventually make the crop more resilient. -
A decade ago, a federal task force announced a plan to help monarch butterflies along their great migration. The six-state effort along Interstate 35 didn’t take off as expected, but some roadsides are blooming anyway. -
Shades of red extracted from an ancient corn variety held up to heat and other conditions typical of food processing and storage. Researchers are exploring whether this natural dye alternative could open new markets for Midwest farmers. -
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. -
Many states face a fast approaching deadline to lower their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payment error rates or shoulder some of the federal program’s benefit costs. Food security groups worry this and other changes brought on by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act could result in people losing aid. -
An official review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement begins in July. President Trump already has suggested the U.S. would be better off without it. -
Biofuel leaders say the shipping industry could be a golden goose for ethanol and soy-based biodiesel. One of the big barriers is the Trump administration, which torpedoed a global agreement to reduce pollution. -
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. -
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. -
The massive tax and spending law signed in July halts a federal incentive for residential solar, and homeowners and installers are hurrying to complete projects before the end of the year. Industry experts say there are other ways to cut costs like "group buys."
