Harvest Public Media

President Donald Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' shifts more Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program costs to states. Lawmakers and officials in support of the new measure say it will cut down on waste and fraud, but food advocates warn it could mean fewer people receiving the benefit.

The Trump administration wants Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to raid worksites in the agriculture and hospitality industries, despite an initial reprieve this month. Experts say the policy could hurt businesses that rely on immigrant workers.

Across much of the Midwest, the atmosphere is becoming warmer and retaining more water, leading to heavier downpours. A two-crop system called relay intercropping could help farmers buffer weather whiplash and boost profits.

Shoppers are seeing record high beef prices at the grocery store. That's in part because the number of cattle in the U.S. is at an all-time low, while consumer demand has remained strong.

The Trump administration cut off nearly all funding for food and agricultural research at universities across the country as part of the Feed the Future Initiative. While some hope Congress will restore the funding, the global research continues on a much smaller scale, funded by private donors and individual universities.

While the U.S. pork industry has grown significantly in the past two decades, producers have struggled to make a profit in recent years. Industry leaders are looking for new markets abroad and at home.

The FBI and Department of Justice hailed the arrests and charges as crucial in protecting national security and public safety. Researchers say the fungus is found in wheat and barley crops and is commonly studied.

The Centers for Agricultural Safety and Health have provided resources to farmers for decades. But heads of the regional research programs say their federal funding for on-farm studies and training will abruptly end this fall.

Black vultures have a reputation for killing newborn livestock, which can be a problem for ranchers in the Great Plains and Midwest. Legislation efforts aim to remove permit requirements for farmers to shoot or capture the birds.

Farmers continued to take on more debt through the first quarter of 2025, prolonging a trend from last year. That's as farm incomes have shrunk over the last couple of years, and some worry President Trump's tariffs could make economic conditions tougher.