Harvest Public Media

Several states, including Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, are in moderate to severe drought. Climatologists say it’s unlikely to let up soon.

People working to address hunger say the canceled report is a main resource to understand where and how people are experiencing food insecurity across the country.

The Trump Administration asked states to find the lowest-cost option in the latest program to build broadband infrastructure in rural areas. That opens the door for more types of technology, which some worry could be less reliable in the long-term.

China typically buys close to half of the soybeans grown in the U.S. But the ongoing trade war means farmers in the Midwest must consider other options — and none are as profitable.

Popcorn festivals and even "popcorn capitals of the world" dot the middle of the country. Yet this ubiquitous snack is grown on fewer than 1,000 farms in the U.S. today.

Along with calls for better disaster mitigation programs, the mayors announced a new federal data tool that will compile information on drought, flooding and river levels.

Quick-growing blooms of bacteria and algae have long been a hazard in lakes and rivers, because of the toxins they produce. Fueled in part by agricultural runoff, these blooms are also threatening public water systems, making water temporarily unusable, and forcing some cities and towns to take costly preventive measures.

A plan to disperse Washington-based USDA jobs to five hubs, including Kansas City and Indianapolis, is making waves across agriculture. Critics say the shakeup could hobble the agency, while proponents say it will move staff closer to farmers and save money.

As part of the “Food Routes” series, Harvest Public Media explores three big factors that affect produce prices in the Midwest and Great Plains.

Settlement payments from chemical companies are helping cities pay for expensive PFAS removal technology. But local leaders say the dollars often fall short of covering the full costs to clean up drinking water.