Agriculture

Despite late summer drought conditions, Christmas tree farmers say this year's growing season was better than 2023.

Incoming president Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on products from countries such as China, Mexico and Canada. Many economists and commodity groups say these import taxes could boomerang and harm U.S. agriculture.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are recommending farm workers get tested for bird flu if they have contacted infected animals, even if they have no symptoms.

Farmers are increasingly relying on off-farm jobs to supplement their farm income. Today about 84% of farm families rely on another part-time or even full-time job to stay in business.

With more high quality apples flooding the market, growers are trying new techniques for a better shot at selling fruit.

A bill gives the federal government more oversight to investigate the sale of agricultural land to those associated with countries like China. It's passing comes amid bipartisan national security concerns over Chinese business investments on American soil.

Federal income caps are excluding many agricultural workers from affordable housing, leaving developments with vacant units and workers without homes.

The Michigan Supreme Court sided with state regulators this week in a dispute with industrial livestock farms.

Drones flying over Midwestern fields are likely to become a more typical sight. Farmers are finding that the remotely piloted aircraft can do everything from spraying fields to monitoring livestock.

Soil science is a relatively new field and becoming more critical in the work to keep soil healthy and productive. The discovery of century-old soil samples at a land-grant university could offer big clues into how soil has changed over time. (This story first published July 22, 2024.)