farming

State lawmakers want farmers in western Kansas to take action by 2026 to halt declines in the Ogallala aquifer. But the region’s whole agriculture system is built to produce irrigated grain at a high volume.

There’s no shortage of products designed to grow beneficial fungi that will help your crops or garden. Whether they actually do that, though, is a different matter.

Incoming President Donald Trump wants to enact protectionist trade policies to boost U.S. industries. It could be a destabilizing factor for Kansas agriculture.

Some Missouri farmers are growing perennial crops like elderberries that are good for the soil and require less labor. But getting those berries into the hands of consumers can take a lot of work. Plus: Farmers are increasingly working jobs away from the farm in order to stay afloat.

Organizations representing rural communities and Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley have pushed back on a proposal that the U.S. Postal Service says could save it billions per year.

Elderberry products have long been a popular crop in Europe. But even though the American elderberry is native to Missouri and can be sustainably grown, it's taken decades of research and market development to build a customer base.

Pumpkin patches and other agritourism attractions have become an economic powerhouse over the past few years. But it can be a major undertaking for any farm.

Missouri's 2025 state budget includes less than a third of the federal funding the state received for Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program grants. More than a dozen producers with selected projects are without funding for now.

Democrats have long enjoyed support from organized labor, but many union members don’t feel a party allegiance any more. In Kansas City's Northland, both Republican Rep. Bill Allen and his opponent, UAW member and Democrat Shirley Mata, hope to win over dissatisfied voters. Plus: The Midwest is going through another drought, but farmers might not be eligible for relief.

Many unhoused students in Missouri and Kansas aren't getting the school support they need — in large part because the districts aren't counting them. Plus: Farmers expect less income this year, which is likely to send ripples through the larger economy.

Crop prices have returned to more normal levels this year — down from record highs. As farmers expect less income this year, that's likely to send ripples through the larger agricultural economy.

Missouri has a tropical fruit of its very own: the pawpaw. Although this Midwest native is getting more popular, you're unlikely to find them in a grocery store yet. Plus: While corn and soybeans dominate the Midwestern landscape today, some farmers are integrating strips of native prairie back into their fields.