Harvest Public Media

A man with a brown beard wearing glasses and a blue plaid shirt reaches toward an apple tree.

U.S. farmers lost conservation experts in Trump's federal cuts. Now they're hurting for help

Abigail Bottar

The Natural Resources Conservation Service lost nearly a quarter of its staff nationwide in 2025 after the Trump administration’s cuts to the federal government. Many were local experts that help farmers with soil and water conservation efforts.

A brown-red cow with a yellow ear tag walks across a pasture in front of three people on horseback wearing cowboy hats. The sky is cloudy, and there are other cows further from the camera, closer to the treeline.

American ranchers are irked by Trump’s efforts to bring down beef prices: ‘This is a mistake’

Michael Marks

The Trump administration has tried to lower beef prices for months, but demand, drought and a parasite have foiled its efforts. Some ranchers are frustrated with the administration’s latest moves.

Virginia Quintanilla grows a garden in her back yard in Storm Lake, Iowa, to help offset food costs, and receives a monthly food delivery from Friends With Food, a partnership between SALUD and St. Mark Lutheran Church, which offers a monthly grocery delivery to the temporarily and permanently homebound.

Millions of older Americans don't have enough to eat, as food prices rise beyond fixed incomes

Nicole Grundmeier — Midwest Newsroom and Harvest Public Media

Inflation in food prices can hit even harder for people in their 60s and older as they also juggle fixed incomes, health problems and changes in federal law. Experts say the age group is a “forgotten population” when it comes to food insecurity.

There are a few ways to reduce pesticide residue on fruits and veggies. At the very least, scientists say, don’t skip the step of rinsing them.

Yes, there's pesticide on your fruits and veggies. Here's what scientists say you should do

Celia Llopis-Jepsen

Hundreds of pesticides are legal, but that doesn’t mean that their impacts on health are fully understood. Cleaning produce before eating it reduces your exposure.

Dennis Kellogg proudly stands next to his John Deere combine from the 1970s. He said he'll use this equipment to harvest his crop later this year.

Squeezed by a tough economy, many farmers are relying on decades-old machinery

Emma George-Griffin

More farmers are opting to repair old tractors, combines and other machinery instead of buying new upgrades. A tough farm economy and historically-high equipment prices are at least partly to blame.

Two people hold ears of corn. Some are bright yellow. Others are dark purple and red.

Can purple corn replace some synthetic food dyes? Midwest scientists see potential

Rachel Cramer

Shades of red extracted from an ancient corn variety held up to heat and other conditions typical of food processing and storage. Researchers are exploring whether this natural dye alternative could open new markets for Midwest farmers.

A medium-sized bird, perhaps a mockingbird or a grackle, perches atop a plant in a dense cotton field under a light blue sky.

Synthetic fabrics kneecapped American cotton. Industry leaders have a plan to revive it

Michael Marks

Fewer people are buying cotton thanks to the rise of synthetic fibers like nylon and polyester. Now, the U.S. cotton industry wants to boost demand for American-grown cotton with tax credits and marketing campaigns.

An aerial view of a brown river and islands of green vegetation.

Excess nutrients can lie dormant in soil for years before polluting rivers, study finds

Rachel Cramer

U.S. Geological Survey researchers developed models to better understand the timing and sources contributing to nutrient pollution in streams and rivers. They say their findings can help guide efforts to improve water quality.

A small black and white animal the size of a squirrel -- the plains spotted skunk -- explores foliage and dirt

This handstand-performing skunk is disappearing from the Great Plains. It may be endangered soon

Macy Byars

The plains spotted skunk is becoming harder to find in the central U.S. states it calls home. As federal officials consider the skunk for federal protections, researchers and environmentalists are hoping to learn more about the long understudied species.

A man in his forties wearing a black shirt stands in front of his home, which has stood for over a hundred years.

As the next generation takes over the family farm, a tough economy brings new challenges

Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval

Passing on the family farm to the next generation is typically an involved process, both financially and emotionally. A turbulent agricultural economy the past few years has made that transition even more difficult.