Harvest Public Media

A farmer holding soybeans stands in his freshly harvested field, looking into the middle distance

How the federal shutdown is hurting Midwest farmers — already dealing with a difficult year

Frank Morris

The government shutdown stops USDA from administering farm subsidies, raising the specter of growing farm foreclosures. It also delays a bailout President Trump had promised for farmers impacted by tariffs.

Joe Adkins in front of his home in 2019 with one of the giant pumpkins he grew and then carved. Adkins' love of pumpkin-carving eventually led him to grow the giant gourds.

Good gourd! These Midwesterners are raising giant pumpkins that weigh as much as a car

Giant pumpkins can top the scales at more than 2,000 pounds – and caring for these behemoths is often a full-time job. But for some growers in the central U.S., the dream of raising a world record-setting pumpkin is a tantalizing prospect.

Fresh fruit without sugars is a eligible food under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.

Moms and kids could lose federal food aid if the shutdown drags on, food advocates say

Anna Pope

More than a million low-income mothers and children in the Midwest and Great Plains rely on a national food assistance program. The Trump administration says it will help provide temporary funding to keep the program afloat, but food advocates say it’s a short-term fix.

Black cows wear collars with orange disks in a green pasture.

Ranchers are using ‘virtual fencing’ to move their cattle — and help save prairies

Rachel Cramer

Virtual fencing uses GPS collars, sounds and electrical cues to move cattle across a landscape. Along with saving ranchers time, researchers say this new technology can help protect, and create, wildlife habitat.

The Mississippi River at St. Louis, Missouri, last fall. The river is experiencing low levels for the fourth year in a row, which likely will increase the cost of shipping grain and fertilizer for farmers.

Drought is shrinking Mississippi River levels — again. That's a big problem for farmers

Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval

Farmers rely on the Mississippi River to ship grain and bring them imported fertilizer and other critical inputs. But another year of low river levels means barge travel will be more expensive.

Corn is harvested in Shelby County, Iowa, in early September. President Donald Trump has promised to send farmers billions of dollars in aid to help offset the loss after tariffs impacted agricultural markets, including China.

Farmers caught in Trump's trade war wait for bailout. But many call it a temporary fix

The Trump administration is promising billions in a bailout for farmers. This harvest season the trade war with China has added to the farm economy’s woes, as producers deal with lower crop prices and high costs.

A man points to a screen inside a tractor. Sugar beet and dry edible bean farmer Clint Stoutenburg of Sandusky, Michigan points out all of the different settings and diagnostics that are available in the bed of his John Deere tractor.

Hackers are targeting U.S. farms and food companies. Lawmakers say it’s time to act

Molly Ashford

As food production and farming become increasingly computerized, cyberattacks are on the rise. Lawmakers and universities are encouraging more research into how to protect the industry from cyber threats.

A woman with a blond pony tail holds onto a metal railing above rows of grape vines. Corn grows beyond the vineyard.

Americans are drinking less. What does that mean for winemakers in the Heartland?

Rachel Cramer

The American Heartland has experienced a boom in wineries over the last three decades. But with U.S. wine sales trending down since 2019, some producers are feeling the effects more than others.

Zac Soltvedt explains how he calculates the amount of corn in a field in Seymour, Wisconsin. He took over the farm from his grandfather.

Crops look good across the Midwest and Great Plains. But farmers still face tough economy

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is expecting a strong corn and soybean harvest this year. But low crop prices, high input costs and international trade uncertainty could hurt farmers.

Ongoing harvest in Indiana farmer Josh Boxell's fields.

Drought has returned to the Midwest. Farmers say it could hurt their harvests

Jess Savage

Several states, including Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, are in moderate to severe drought. Climatologists say it’s unlikely to let up soon.