Millions of acres of farmland across the country are expected to change hands by the end of the decade. According to data from the USDA, at least 50 million of those acres are in the Midwest. Farm fields are flat and clear, making them ideal for a variety of other uses: housing, commercial development, energy infrastructure, data centers and more.
The value of this land is putting it out of reach of the next generation of farmers who are navigating the challenges of high costs, slim profit margins and increasingly complex growing conditions due to climate change.
The Next Harvest: Seeking Solid Ground reports from farm fields and shifting rural landscapes, exploring how existing farmers can retire with financial stability and dignity and how policy and community priorities can set the next generation of farmland stewards up to thrive.
About The Next Harvest:
In season one of The Next Harvest, we asked the question: If regenerative agriculture has the power to revive farmland, the environment, and the rural economy — what will it take to scale this model? Reporter Jana Rose Schleis traveled across Missouri and beyond to hear from researchers, advocates, organizers, business owners and farmers on what needs to change to sustain agriculture — as an industry and a lifestyle.
Season one of The Next Harvest was recognized by the Radio Television Digital News Association with a regional and national Edward R. Murrow Award in the News Series category. The inaugural 7-part installment also received a first-place national award from the Public Media Journalists Association in the Series category.
Season two of The Next Harvest analyzed the tools and technologies farmers deploy to enhance conservation and save money. The series also examined the competition for farmland and whether “dual use” strategies can work in the Midwest.
Throughout each season, The Next Harvest delves into how the agriculture industry can adapt to the environmental and economic challenges it faces and how farmers can maintain their businesses and steward their land.
Episodes of The Next Harvest air Wednesdays on KBIA.
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“In trying to keep soil from washing to the sea,” writes historian Joshua Nygren, conservation programs “sold millions of people down the river.” -
A federal program promises to pay for farmland preservation. Few land owners in Missouri are taking advantage. -
In the fight for affordable farmland, the winners are often not farmers at all. -
KBIA’s award-winning news series returns to explore farmland access and preservation. -
Conservation methods can help rejuvenate farmland, but cost and quality are a concern. -
Crop insurance provides some coverage for some farmers, but can often be an obstacle to sustainability. -
Precision agriculture tools aim to reduce impact on environment and save money. -
Aerial crop planting and treatment takes off across the Midwest. -
Researchers analyze whether agrivoltaics can work for large-scale crops and cattle. -
Experiments in agrivoltaics offer a respite to extreme heat, and provide land access for new farmers.
