Immigration is tied to food security, farmer says, and food security is tied to national security

Jan 22, 2025
Patrick Smith of Loftus Ranches relies on temporary workers to tend his crops. Immigration policy has broad impact, he says.
Patrick Smith grows apples and hops at Loftus Ranches in Yakima, Washington.
Courtesy Loftus Ranches

Want to pick your own fall apples in Colorado? Start planning now.

Dec 16, 2024
In Colorado, where limited supply makes apple picking — a classic fall activity — very competitive, orchard reservations open up in early winter.
Competition for apple picking slots is fierce in northern Colorado, largely because the climate and development pressure keeps supply low.
Gabe Allen/KUNC

Despite looming tariffs and "the worst harvest I've ever had," Iowa farmer remains optimistic

Nov 8, 2024
Corn and soybean farmer April Hemmes is preparing for new tariffs from a second Trump administration.
April Hemmes says farmers like her are "running scared" because over half of their soybeans are exported to China.
Ben Hethcoat/Marketplace

Farmers are making less money this year as ag economy normalizes

Oct 30, 2024
Crop prices have dropped after supply shortages stoked profits. Farmers and equipment makers are cutting costs, but livestock is doing well.
A combine harvester at work in Illinois farmer Nick Koeller's cornfield. He hasn't been investing in major equipment upgrades, he says.
Sophie Proe/St. Louis Public Radio

American farmers are feeling gloomy

Oct 23, 2024
The latest read on farmer sentiment from Purdue hit an eight-year low.
The farming industry is dependent on the broader economy, and farmers are feeling it.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

The precision agriculture revolution is coming, just slowly

Jul 4, 2024
Since the 1990s, precision agriculture has promised to revolutionize farming, by giving growers granular information about what’s happening with the crops in their fields and new technology to actually put that data to good use. But the new developments in precision ag have yet to fully transform farming.

One reason organic food is typically priced higher? It costs more to produce.

Jul 2, 2024
Because they grow without the use of most synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides, organic farmers don’t have the same toolkit available to them.
Organic farmer Jennifer Paulk picks Colorado potato beetle larvae off some leaves on her farm in southern Maryland.
Stephanie Hughes/Marketplace