farming

The U.S. agricultural industry depends on undocumented immigrants, but President Trump’s immigration crackdown is further depleting an already tight workforce. The labor crisis may be setting the stage for big changes to a federal program that allows foreign workers into the country legally.

Temperatures remained into the 80s well in the fall this year in parts of the Midwest. Agrivoltaics offers a respite to extreme heat and land access for new farmers.

Contractors say they have enough local labor to detassel Nebraska’s seed corn but they’re losing work to migrant workers on H-2A visas. A 2024 law attempted to increase transparency in detasseling.

Some Midwestern soybean farmers are selling their beans to be crushed and turned into soybean meal and oil. But economists say domestic processing won’t be enough to offset the drop in Chinese demand.

Supply is expected to surpass traditional grain storage capacity in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Some elevators, including historic Ely's in Nebraska, are adding temporary storage.

Some family farms in Missouri have added corn mazes to their fields during the fall to supplement their income.

El cierre del Gobierno impide la administración de los subsidios agrícolas por parte del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos, (USDA) lo cual amenaza con un aumento de los juicios hipotecarios de las granjas. También retrasa la ayuda financiera que el presidente Trump había prometido a los agricultores afectados por los aranceles.

Ranchers, lawmakers and farmers’ unions are sounding the alarm over a Trump administration plan to increase beef imports from Argentina.

In late July, the Postal Service cut back on services in 540 of Missouri’s ZIP codes by reducing mail collection from morning and evening to morning-only collection. And residents have already noticed the shift.

The government shutdown stops USDA from administering farm subsidies, raising the specter of growing farm foreclosures. It also delays a bailout President Trump had promised for farmers impacted by tariffs.

Kansas has more rural hospitals at risk of closure than any other state. Changes at the federal level are further complicating the situation, leaving hospital officials planning for the future.

Troost Avenue was a racial dividing line for decades. Now, Missouri’s recent redistricting efforts are using the street to split Kansas City into separate congressional districts. Plus: The Trump administration is promising billions in bailout money for farmers affected by tariffs and facing a tough economy this year.