farmers

The Trump administration's federal workforce cuts shrunk U.S. Department of Agriculture agencies that inspect produce, provide conservation resources and collect data on crops and livestock. It's creating longer wait times for farmers seeking federal services and programs, people working in agriculture say.

Farm aid promised last December is still months away from being paid out to fruit and vegetable growers. But industry groups say it won't be enough to get them through tough market conditions.

In 2014, the U.S. Department of Agriculture created a network of "climate hubs" to understand how climate change affects agriculture and forestry and help farmers adapt to more extreme and unpredictable weather. Now, the future of these hubs is uncertain.

Growers worry the bill, backed by the governor, will add bureaucracy and cut yields and profits. Advocacy groups say neonicotinoids are being used as an insurance policy.

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.

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

The U.S. agricultural industry depends on undocumented immigrants, but President Trump's immigration crackdown is further depleting an already tight workforce. The labor crisis may be setting the stage for big changes to a federal program that allows foreign workers into the country legally.

Some Midwestern soybean farmers are selling their beans to be crushed and turned into soybean meal and oil. But economists say domestic processing won't be enough to offset the drop in Chinese demand.

Amid a political climate increasingly hostile to renewable energy, Oklahoma's public schools could be losing out on a crucial revenue source.

A study led by Sen. Mary Boren (D-Norman) included representatives from the renewable energy industry, a nonprofit and Oklahoma State University.