Harvest Public Media
When Water Is More Valuable Than Crops, Farms Struggle To Compete With Thirsty Cities
Few things are more valuable to a farmer in the arid West than irrigation water. Without it, the land turns back into its natural state: dry, dusty plains. If a fast-growing city is your neighbor, then your water holds even more value. Farm families in Western states like California and Colorado are increasingly under pressure…
Old Midwest Barns Are Turning Into Hot Decorating Product
Larry Gerdes is having his barn taken down and disassembled in Malta Bend, Mo. It’s about the size of a three-car garage but stands much taller in a clearing surrounded by six-foot stalks of corn. The barn’s exterior is graying, part of its roof is missing and there’s a gaping hole looking out from the…
Despite Changing Gender Roles, It’s Still Often Sons Who Inherit Midwest Farms
Growing up on a family farm in West Bend, Iowa, Haley Banwart and her brother were like other farm kids. They did chores, participated in 4-H, and even raised cattle together. “My brother and I have had the same amount of responsibilities. I can drive a tractor, I can bale square hay,” Banwart says. “But…
What Are The Benefits Of Urban Agriculture In Kansas City?
Urban farms and gardens are popping up in cities all over the country, often touted as the key to a sustainable lifestyle, as creating healthy vibrant communities and promoting economic development. A new study by the John Hopkins Center for a Livable Future , however, says urban agriculture advocates need to be careful about overselling…
This Midwest Lab Breeds Pest-Killing Bugs
The Colorado Department of Agriculture is killing pests dead, without the aid of chemicals. Halfway down a dead-end road in the small farming town of Palisade, Colorado, is the research facility known as “The Insectary.” Scientists at the lab develop “biocontrol insects,” insects adapted to attacking bugs and plants harmful to agriculture. Colorado’s Insectary is…
To Bring Bison Back To The Plains, Ranchers Say We Must Eat Them
Massive bison herds used to be a staple of the Great Plains. That is until we almost hunted them out of existence. Now, with a new designation as the United States’ national mammal, bison ranchers argue that to conserve the species we have to eat them. It’s an idea called “market-based conservation,” and it contends…
5 Big Questions About The U.S. Senate’s GMO Label Bill
The U.S. Senate late Thursday night approved a bill that outlaws states’ efforts to put labels on food products made with genetically-modified organisms and instead gives companies more leeway in disclosing GMOs. The measure must still be passed by the U.S. House, but there are lots of questions. Harvest Public Media has been watching this ongoing battle for…
Midwest Farmland Is A Tasty Buffet For Snow Geese, And That’s Not Good For Everyone
The big flocks of snow geese flying over the Midwest each spring and fall may make for a pretty picture, but the booming population of those fluffy, noisy, white birds is creating an environmental disaster in Canada. And it’s partially thanks to decisions made by Midwest farmers. “The birds have grown exponentially, almost now to…
Dangerous Jobs, Cheap Meat | While New Safety Efforts are Underway, Injuries are Still Part of the Job
The meatpacking plants that enable American consumers to find cheap hamburger and chicken wings in the grocery store are among the most dangerous places to work in the country. Federal regulators and meat companies agree more must be done to make slaughterhouses safer, and while there are signs the industry is stepping up its efforts,…
Dangerous Jobs, Cheap Meat | Working ‘The Chain,’ Slaughterhouse Workers Face Life-Long Injuries
“Dangerous Jobs, Cheap Meat” is a three-part series from Harvest Public Media that focuses on the risks faced every day by the half-million people working in meatpacking factories to feed America’s desire for cheap meat. Today’s is the second installment; Look for the final installment tomorrow on Flatland. The nights were often worse for Gabriel, even after long…