Harvest Public Media

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.

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.

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.

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.

Beef prices have hit record highs, yet American consumers haven’t stopped buying it. A look at what’s behind the steep price increase and when they might come down.

Trees and shrubs are invading prairies, hurting the wildlife and making it harder to ranch. Yet it's hard to know the full extent of the problem, so Kansas State University found a way to map it out on the cheap.

Weeds are a challenge for every farmer. The annual Midwest Mechanical Weed Control Field Day showcases solutions beyond herbicides.

Several planned projects would have brought solar to communities in the Midwest and Great Plains for the first time. Others would have expanded existing efforts. Now, the projects are on hold after the Environmental Protection Agency abruptly terminated $7 billion in funding.

A new law in Illinois formalizes efforts to reintroduce native keystone species like bison and beavers in the state, which advocates say will help other species recover.