Harvest Public Media

University of Illinois researchers analyzed traces of DNA in rivers and streams to learn how strips of trees near water — called riparian buffers — impact land species.

Scientists in the middle of the country told Harvest Public Media that 2025 was a year of major changes and uncertainty.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to send “bridge” payments to farmers who grow soybeans, cotton and other crops before March. Commodity groups and economists say the aid brings relief to farmers and their lenders, but they need long-term solutions.

Federal data found that millions of people struggled to get enough food in 2024. The report will be the final publication of such data after the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it will scrap the annual hunger survey.

A federal ban on most hemp-derived THC products is expected to go into effect in November. It could eliminate the most profitable market for farmers who grow hemp.

Industry experts say interest in protein consumption among consumers is likely driving growth in whole milk sales. But the trend may be a blip in the ongoing decline in U.S. milk consumption.

Farmers across the central U.S. have navigated a myriad of challenges this year, including low crop prices and federal funding cuts.

American agriculture relies on foreign workers, and that workforce is already stretched thin. With Trump’s immigration crackdown set to expand next year, some farmers fear that workers will be even harder to find, and they want Trump to do something about it.

Producers across the central U.S. are facing high input costs as the trade war puts crop markets in an uncertain position. Agriculture economists say they’re watching tariffs and the cattle industry — which has boosted income for some farmers.

Winter holiday festivals have become a regular way to grow revenue for America’s smallest towns. And with more people shopping online, those events are key to pulling people away from their screens and into stores.