Xcaret Nuñez
Reporter, KOSUI cover agriculture and rural communities for Harvest Public Media, and I’m based at Oklahoma’s NPR member station, KOSU in Oklahoma City.
I am originally from Yuma, Arizona, the Southwest city known as the “Lettuce Capital of the World” and “Sunniest City on Earth.” I’m a proud first-generation college graduate — I graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in religious studies.
I previously worked at KBIA, the NPR affiliate in Columbia, Missouri, as a reporter, producer and anchor, where I covered both community and education beats. I also covered Missouri’s 2022 legislative session for Missouri News Network and worked as an intern for Here & Now, NPR and WBUR’s midday news magazine program.
Feel free to say hi or share any story ideas with me via email at xcaret@kosu.org or follow me on Twitter @Xcaret_News.
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Despite a spike in deaths from COVID-19 and fewer births, recent research suggests rural counties saw population growth during the first year of the pandemic. Remote work opportunities could have contributed to more people moving to scenic rural destinations. -
Fresh-cut evergreen trees are a little pricier this holiday season due to a tight supply and higher costs for growers. But the current drought may squeeze supplies further in the future. -
Think of this year’s drought as a sort of dress rehearsal to consider the drier, hotter future that scientists predict climate change has in store. Long-lasting droughts could alter the way we live. -
Bone-dry and windy conditions across the Midwest and Great Plains are only making it easier for wildfires to spark. The worsening drought factors mount pressure on volunteer firefighters that respond when wildfires occur. -
For many people, fall is marked by taking trips to the pumpkin patch, getting lost in a corn maze or catching a hay ride. These seasonal activities are part of agricultural tourism, and it's a booming industry. -
The craft beer industry is driving farmers in the Midwest to grow hops for their local beer makers. But the crop is not easy to grow — it’s labor intensive and expensive. -
Veterinarian clinics in rural towns have been dramatically declining in numbers for decades. Rural veterinarians often get paid less than urban practitioners, take on more workload and carry thousands of dollars in debt from medical school. -
Recent survey results show commercial honeybees are on track to have another year of colony losses. A decline in these essential pollinators could hinder food production. -
The National Audubon Society is taking a market-based approach to conservation. Its “bird-friendly beef” certification program proposes to measure ecosystem health by using birds as a metric.
