Hundreds of school districts have started offering plant-based alternatives in recent months — what’s behind the shift, and what do these meals look like?

The Vegan School Lunch

Lila Barth

 Hunts Point Produce Market has provided NYC’s fruits and vegetables for decades. But how long can it last?

All of New York’s Apples

After years of transporting students, used school buses get a second life as a specialty farm tool.

Hauling Watermelons in Souped-Up School Buses

It’s part of a larger agency push to promote more traditional foods and help with Native food sovereignty.

USDA Is Buying Bison From Small Native Producers

Investors went wild for the utopian promise of tech-driven vertical farming. Now the industry is on the brink of collapse — can it survive by following in traditional agriculture’s footsteps?

Indoor Agriculture Faces a Reckoning

Self-described witches are among the most conscientious and prolific users of botanicals, but where do they source their plants?

The Supply Chain for Witches

There’s fungus among us — the mighty mushroom is turning up in fashion, construction, electronics, wellness, insulation, and more.

This Mushroom Moment

Some businesses are betting that bringing back sails could lower the carbon footprint of shipping food around the world.

Shipping Food Is Dirty Business. Can Sailboats Fix It?

A co-op of Wisconsin farmers now has its own trucking company — which could be one small way to shore up America’s ailing food supply chain.

Building a Better Agricultural Trucking Market

Concerns over soil health, reliability, and price have all played a part in slowing the electrification wave on U.S. farms. 

Why Electric Tractors Haven’t Taken Over American Fields

Much of the world debates GMOs purely in terms of human health and the environment. In Mexico, it’s also about cuisine, culture, and heritage.

Despite U.S. Pushback, Mexico’s Fight to Ban Genetically Modified Corn is Not Over

A new study from North Carolina State University surveyed people throughout the phosphorus industry, finding dim views on its long-term sustainability.

We Can’t Keep Using Phosphorus Fertilizers — Just Ask Industry Stakeholders

To repopulate land with specialized native flora, it’s not as easy as visiting the seed store.

Everyone Wants to Repair Our Damaged Ecosystems — But Where Are the Seeds?

Indoor agriculture doesn’t get more local than small vertical farms right where people live and work. But the future of these farms is more closely tied to conventional urban farming than the wider vertical farming industry.

Planting Tiny Indoor Farms In Strip Malls and Office Parks

The public is fascinated by images of thousands of gallons of milk being discarded in farm fields each year. The reasons are complicated.

Why Dairy Farmers Dump Their Milk

The Securities and Exchange Commission wants broader emissions reporting up and down the supply chain. Trade groups are claiming it will break the small family farm. 

Why Are Farm Groups Opposing Climate Disclosures?

On the Experimental Farm in temperate North Carolina, research growers are cultivating tropical plants like taro, cassava, and chayote — crop options for a changing climate.

The Small Southern Farm Working to Forecast the Crops of the Future

A group of 150 USDA canines is tasked with sniffing out potentially dangerous meat and produce before it enters our borders. Their funding is far from secure.

Meet the Elite Squad of Beagles Keeping U.S. Agriculture Safe

Last year, the DOJ exposed a price- and wage-fixing conspiracy by some of the largest U.S. poultry producers that they said “harmed a generation.” Will the government follow through on holding them accountable?

Big Poultry’s Anticompetitive Practices Come Home to Roost

The U.S. is the world’s top importer of vanilla beans, but American production has been minimal — until now.

A Domestic Vanilla Industry Is Slowly Unfurling in Florida

As the state considers permanent restrictions on the crop in the Willamette Valley, a decades-long debate is pitting farmers against each other.

The Battle Over Canola Farming in Oregon Heats Up

Sixty years after the last U.S. flax processor closed, the PA Flax Project set out on a mission to revive American linen. With a new mill finally opening, their plans are kicking into high gear.

Rebuilding North America’s Flax-to-Fiber Supply Chain

Should meat from cattle raised in, say, Brazil, be allowed to carry a sticker that says “Made in USA?” The USDA wants your thoughts.

“They’re Doing Fraud”: Meat Producers Weigh in on USA Labels

Researchers say we need better metrics, and to make sure those scores aren’t based on carbon credits alone.

Food Companies Are Gung-Ho for Greenhouse Gas Scores — But Are They Just Greenwashing?

In the wake of new Food and Drug Administration guidance, dairy state politicians are again trying to make almond milk change its name.

Fighting to Keep Milk a Household — But Not Plant-Based — Name

Consumers went crazy for dry beans during the pandemic. Now, a group of Cornell researchers wants to help more farmers cash in on the trendy crop.

Bean Growers Are Eager to Rebuild a Once-Powerful Market

And what’s been driving them up in the first place — Inflation? Disease? Supply and demand? Price gouging? Yes.

Where Will Egg Prices Go in 2023?

Trimming rail staff and service in the name of profit is leaving poultry producers in a lurch.

Playing Chicken With Farm Feed

Grocery giant Kroger is expected to merge with Albertsons, further shrinking the pool of retail markets for farmers to sell to.

Why Supermarket Monopolies Are Bad for the Farm Economy

Low inventory, long wait times, and raised prices are leaving manufacturers, dealerships, and farmers feeling the pinch.

Nationwide Steel Shortage Leaves Farm Equipment in Short Supply

State agriculture groups are wary of costly equipment upgrades, lack of rural charging stations, and an aggressive implementation timeline.

California Wants to Transition All Truck Fleets to Zero Emissions. Farmers Aren’t So Sure.

There are only a handful of fertilizer companies for American farmers to buy from. The USDA is trying to change that.

Record Prices Give Rise to Consolidation Concerns in the Fertilizer Industry

With inflation hitting record highs, farmers are needing to adapt their business practices to stay profitable.

Farmers Look to Weather Record Inflation as Input Costs Soar

A USDA partnership with the Port struggles to help American farmers export products.

Ag Exports Bottlenecked at Oakland Port Despite USDA Efforts

Essential inputs, including compost and peat moss, have become rarer since the pandemic.

Mushroom Farmers Across America Face Extraordinary Supply Shortages

“The cattle are ready but the lockers are full.”

Diversifying Meat Markets After The Pandemic

The Ukraine-driven spike in wheat prices comes on the heels of major supply chain disruptions.

Drought and COVID-19: Factors Beyond Ukraine Invasion Driving Wheat Price Spike

American producers will see short-term gains, but face long-term uncertainty.

Supply Chain