Agriculture

The Farm Bill: How Will Actual Farms Be Affected?

Matthew Long-Middleton and Claire McInerny — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:43:38 +0000

In Part 1 of the the simulcast covering the Farm Bill, KCUR and Iowa Public Radio discussed the largest part of the Farm Bill going through Congress: the SNAP program and cuts to its funding. But with a piece of legislation called the Farm Bill, there has to be provisions in it that affect the farms and farmers across our country, and indeed the Farm Bill does just that.

What You Should Know About The Food Stamp Debate

Brian Ellison, Matthew Long-Middleton and Payne Roberts — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:23:39 +0000

The U.S. House is set to take up the farm bill this week, after the Senate passed its version of the bill in early June. Both bills include about $500 billion in spending over five years. Few pieces of legislation can produce such sharp divisions, even by Washington standards—but few could have such immediate, significant impact on so many Americans.

What Is The Future Of Crop Insurance?

Frank Morris — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:49:56 +0000

Crop insurance is a big part of the farm bill debate in Washington this year. The Senate recently passed a bill that would expand the heavily subsidized program. And now the House is zeroing in on the issue.

Several pending amendments would curb how much the government provides to cut the cost farmers pay for crop insurance. But, crop insurance premiums aren’t the only part of the system supported by tax payers.

Grillers Beware: Drought Driving Beef Prices Up

Luke Runyon — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:00:00 +0000

If you’ve experienced sticker shock shopping for ground beef or steak recently, be prepared for an entire summer of high beef prices.

Multi-year droughts in states that produce most of the country’s beef cattle have driven up costs to historic highs. Last year, ranchers culled deep into their herds – some even liquidated all their cattle – which pushed the U.S. cattle herd to its lowest point since the 1950s.

Dry conditions this summer could cause the herd to dwindle even further. That means beef prices may continue on a steady climb, just in time for grilling season.

Farmers Face 'Weather Whiplash' With Floods, Drought

Peggy Lowe — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:09:57 +0000

The motorized growl from an idling John Deere tractor drowned out the sounds of nature on a recent morning on Chris Webber’s central Missouri family farm.

As he checked the 40 acres of muddy field he wanted to plant that day, Webber worried about getting more rain, even as he worried about the lack of it.

“The drought is over at the moment,” he said, “but in Missouri, we tend to say that in 10 days or two weeks, we can be in a drought again. That’s how fast it can get back to dry.”

My Farm Roots: In Hip Brooklyn, Connecting With A Farm Past

Abbie Fentress Swanson — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Monica Johnson, 36, watered edible yellow kale flowers on a recent sunny morning at a rooftop garden in Greenpoint in Brooklyn, N.Y. Standing in front of the Manhattan skyline in her sleeveless top, shades and blond ponytail pulled back in a trucker cap, she looked part-farm girl and part-hipster.

3 Takeaways From The Senate Farm Bill

Jeremy Bernfeld — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:15:47 +0000

The U.S. Senate approved a new comprehensive farm bill Monday, its plan for everything from food and nutrition assistance to disaster aid for livestock producers to crop insurance for farmers. But before you go popping champagne corks and celebrating the creation of five-years of agricultural policy, know this: The U.S. House has yet to weigh in.

Picture This: Sustainability in Action

Amy Mayer — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 06:01:00 +0000

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what’s a picture embedded with lots of words worth?

Quite a lot in terms of connecting with an audience, according to Douglas Gayeton, who brought his California-based Lexicon of Sustainability project to Iowa at the end of May.

Excessive Rain May Challenge Corn Growers

Payne Roberts — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:21:56 +0000

It’s been a wet spring in the Midwest – and that’s got corn growers a little behind on planting.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that 91 percent of the U.S. corn crop was planted as of June 2, compared to 95 percent at the same time last year.

Iowa, the nation’s largest producer of corn, has only got 88 percent of the crop in ground. In Missouri, 86 percent.

Last year, growers in both states were done with planting by now. But besides the late planting, the abundance of water presents other challenges for farmers.

At The Farmer's Market, With Food Stamps

Grant Gerlock — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 12:53:41 +0000

April Segura is a regular at the Old Cheney Road Farmers Market in Lincoln, Neb. On a warm, May afternoon, the single, stay-at-home mother of three greeted friends and acquaintances while strolling past tables of lettuce and herbs. She hoped to find more asparagus for sale.

My Farm Roots: Lessons From The Farm Crisis

Amy Mayer — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:27:30 +0000

I met Mark Kenney on his family’s farm in Nevada, Iowa, when I was working on a story about farmer taxes. He turned out to be perfect for that—a farmer with a keen interest in spreadsheets.

NBAF Breaks Ground In Manhattan

Laura Ziegler — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:47:13 +0000

There was a lot of hand-shaking and back-slapping at the recent groundbreaking for the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kan. Soon, the first construction will begin on an independent utility plant for the top-security animal disease lab.

It’s been 4 and a half years since the Department of Homeland Security awarded the project to Kansas, and it's been a rocky road to this point.

Smithsonian To Feature Farms And Farmers In New Exhibit

Abbie Fentress Swanson — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 12:35:09 +0000

Crops and cattle, soil and sweat. American agriculture has a proud history to share, a story to tell. But getting the attention of a tech-savvy nation that has mostly moved away from its farm roots has been difficult. Today, though, there is a glimmer of hope for farm fans. The plow, truth be told, looks a little lonely.

People Gather In Cities All Over The World With Anti-GMO Message

Luke Runyon — Tue, 28 May 2013 12:51:00 +0000

Protesters gathered in cities across the country Saturday to protest what they call "big agribusiness" and the prevalence of genetically modified foods.

In front of the statehouse in Denver, there was a crowd of about 500 people. The rally was organized under the banner of March Against Monsanto.

Signs have slogans like "Just Say No To GMOs" and "Keep Calm and Label On."

One of the rally’s speakers, Alan Lewis, works on ag policy for Vitamin Cottage.

Broader Competition For USDA’s ‘Rural’ Dollars

Luke Runyon — Tue, 28 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

As lawmakers debate the Farm Bill in Washington, millions of dollars are at stake for small businesses across the country. Rural development grants go out to everything from home loans to water projects to small co-ops.

With budget cuts likely, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is adjusting how these funds are used, and proposing changes to the word “rural.” But there’s concern that a tighter belt at the federal level means farmers and ranchers in small towns will be left behind.