For decades, detector dogs have helped protect our environment and agriculture. Dogs trained to find the invasive spotted lanternfly have joined their ranks. 

Trained Dogs Are Hunting the Spotted Lanternfly

Farmers in Rwanda and across Africa are scrambling to find new lifelines in the wake of last year’s DOGE cuts.

When U.S Aid Dries Up

At a moment where fertilizer trade concerns are dominating headlines, a revolutionary sourcing alternative has emerged — as if from thin air.

Pulling Nitrogen From the Air

Rodeo said bronco riding wasn’t a sport for women. They got on anyway.

Forget the Cowboy Way

In her latest book, nature writer Nicola Chester celebrates a bygone generation of female farmers in the UK, mourns the ecological outcomes of their methods, and proves herself a master of nuance all at once. 

The Land Girls of War

When plant breeders get down to work, they’re often negotiating the complex intricacies of nature. Put simply, changing one trait often shifts another.

Plant Breeding Isn’t Easy

After 15 states changed confinement laws for pigs, farmers around the country implemented costly upgrades. The new Farm Bill may leave those farmers in the lurch.

Hamstrung

Spirulina, an extract of blue-green algae, has been a niche health supplement for decades. Now that it’s being used as a mainstream food dye, critics are pointing to contamination concerns.

Spirulina Spirals

New technology aims to help cattle breeders deal with a down-to-earth problem: lameness in their herds.

The Hoof Reader

An explosive study came out in 2024, indicating urban farming could be six times worse on carbon emissions than conventional ag. The study authors would like a word.

Is Urban Farming Worse for the Planet?

Using goats and sheep as lawnmowers has become a booming cottage industry, particularly in conjunction with solar operations. Meet the farmers renting out their ruminants.

Raising Goats to Graze

U Maine scientists have developed a method for early detection of harmful algal blooms. New England’s aquaculture industry is watching.

Sniffing Out Algal Blooms in Maine 

Oat farming has declined in the U.S. in recent decades — but a growing group of more than 100 Midwestern farmers is trying to bring it back. 

The Unexpected Rise of the Oat Mafia

Trump announced plans to increase grazing on public lands. Critics say the land can’t support any more. 

Where Will All the Ranchers Go?

As consumer demands evolve and younger artisans learn the trade, mongering gets a fresh face.

The New American Cheesemongers

Investors are looking to boost fertilizer production by mining off the Namibian coast. Ocean advocates would like a word.

Mining Phosphate Directly From the Ocean Floor

Almost all of the world eats goat meat. Here in the U.S., it’s complicated. 

Get Your Goat

The effects of cattle on soil health are well known. But other animals can help regenerate pastureland. 

In Hooves We Trust

As consumption of raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries spikes among American families, so do their prices. But don’t blame the farmers!

Berry High Prices

Farm Bills run in five-year increments, but it’s been almost five years since we had one in place. Will we ever have one again — and why does it matter?

All Stories