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Soil science is a relatively new field and becoming more critical in the work to keep soil healthy and productive. The discovery of century-old soil samples at a land-grant university could offer big clues into how soil has changed over time.
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Missouri's cicada outburst has worsened the spread of diseases for farmers. It comes after years of difficult weather conditions, including the recent drought, that have taken a toll on apple growers.
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The peach crop across the U.S. is much better this summer than it was last year when cold temperatures affected crops in Georgia and South Carolina. Yet in southern Illinois, while some orchards are getting a bumper crop, others are having yet another year of low production.
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Partners and collaborators will provide mentorship and technical assistance to local food producers and farmers in six states with an eye to tackling food scarcity.
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The prospect of precision agriculture has existed for decades, but many of the technologies and techniques that will enable it have been slow to catch on.
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Produce auctions, which have been around for hundreds of years, allow farmers who need to travel via horsepower to sell into a larger, more profitable market.
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Kansas lawmakers will soon return for a special session to try to reach a tax-cutting agreement with Gov. Laura Kelly. Plus: Solar power is the fastest growing source of electricity in the U.S., but some new solar installations are taking land once used to grow food. Researchers are looking for ways to do both.
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The EPA could soon face a lawsuit for not protecting farmers from “forever chemicals.” Few states regulate PFAS in biosolids fertilizer, but farmers in the northeast are now calling for federal standards.
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Black women hoping to conceive using donor sperm often have to choose a donor from a different race or put their fertility journey on hold because of a shortage of Black sperm donors. One woman tells us her story. Plus: Parts of Missouri, Kansas and other Midwest states are still in drought, despite recent rains.
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We normally think of trees as being good for the environment. But in parts of the Midwest and Great Plains, they're actually heating up the earth as woodlands take over grasslands.
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Kansas is the latest state to pass rules against selling ornamental pear trees that spread aggressively in natural areas. They are just one of many invasive species taking over Midwest communities. Plus: A centuries-old agricultural technique that reduces agricultural waste and improves soil is coming back around as a modern climate solution.
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Erika Cecilia Noguera is the owner of Doña Fina Café, a Kansas City coffee company that roasts and sells beans grown on her family's farm in Guatemala. She says Doña Fina — which is named for her great-grandmother — is about telling the story of coffee, and of the people who make it.