farming

Ottawa city officials are trying to strike a balance between people who want to produce food and the interests of their neighbors

Farmers and ranchers across the Midwest say regulation is the only path forward to fixing their own equipment. But there’s been strong opposition to right to repair legislation, as manufacturers argue they’ve provided pathways for quick repairs.

A group of Midwestern shrimp farmers are on a mission to provide Americans with better-tasting, sustainable shrimp. The industry struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic, but farmers remain hopeful that indoor shrimp farming will come back stronger than ever.

The longhorned tick has only been in Missouri for a couple of years, but it is already spreading across the state and can carry a disease that can infect cattle. There are currently no known treatments or vaccines for the disease, and it could cost ranchers a lot of money.

The Steinegers are part of a wave of nontraditional farmers in Kansas and Missouri who taking chances on niche crops — motivated by spirituality, tourism and simply giving back to their communities.

For the second consecutive year, Missouri has set aside $500,000 to address food insecurity in urban areas. But for farmers like Darian and Nicolette Davis, who run an orchard in Kansas City’s Swope Park, even applying for a grant opportunity is a challenge.

Dryness in the Great Plains began spreading east this year, affecting much of the Midwest and endangering crops, livestock and river shipping. Recent rains have been a god-send, but will it be enough to loosen the years-long drought?

Honey bees are critical to pollinating field crops and fruit trees across the region — and they make delicious honey. One Kansas City beekeeper helps when these insects make their homes in inconvenient places. Plus: Big dollars are going towards urban tree canopies across the country.

Honey bees may not be native to North America, but the insects are critical to pollinating field crops and fruit trees across the region — not to mention the delicious honey they make. Occasionally, though, Missouri's official state insects make their homes in inconvenient places. One local beekeeper is known for stepping in to help.

As summer creeps in, so do heaps of fresh produce at local farmers markets. KCUR's food writers are back with ideas for where to find fresh, at-home ingredients, and where to grab a meal made with locally-sourced produce.

The federally protected birds are preying on newborn livestock. Missouri's black vulture bird population has grown from 14,000 in 2015 to roughly 21,000 in 2021, which is only worsening the problem.

With just a day left before the Missouri legislative clock runs out, some of the bills left unfinished include one to legalize sports betting, another to create an open enrollment system for public schools, and a ballot item to raise the threshold to amend the Missouri Constitution.