agriculture

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.

Managing alpha-gal syndrome, a tickborne allergy to mammalian products like red meat and dairy, can be hard for anyone. But for Missouri farmers who are in close contact with cattle, the allergy can be ruinous and possibly deadly.

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.

Missouri and federal officials are gearing up to stop the advance of a parasitic fly that is less than 70 miles from the United States border with Mexico.

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.

Native freshwater mussels do important work filtering the water in Midwest rivers. These animals are in trouble, but Kansas has a plan to help them. Plus: We'll hear from farmers around the central U.S. about what made this such a tough year, and what may come in 2026.

Farmers across the central U.S. have navigated a myriad of challenges this year, including low crop prices and federal funding cuts.

After the state's education department oversaw a pilot program teaching science through agriculture, lawmakers saw an opportunity for more.

Producers across the central U.S. are facing high input costs as the trade war puts crop markets in an uncertain position. Agriculture economists say they’re watching tariffs and the cattle industry — which has boosted income for some farmers.

KBIA’s The Next Harvest podcast tells the stories of farmers in the Midwest using regenerative agriculture practices and high-tech tools to make their farms sustainable -- including agrivoltaics, drones, precision agriculture, and cover crops.

Cottonseeds could help reduce hunger and add new revenue for farmers. One researcher has been working for decades to make edible seeds a reality.

For the past four years, a federal program has given Missouri farmers and hungry families a boost by putting locally grown, fresh food on their tables. But the recently canceled Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement won't provide that help this year.