Agriculture

The U.S. Department of Labor's latest citations against Republic Foods in Lone Jack bring the plant's count of alleged workplace violations to a total of 35 since 2020.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced last month that it will not apply dietary supplement regulations to the hemp product CBD. The announcement has been frustrating for hemp farmers who have been waiting years for regulation.

The child care gap across the country is more than 30%, meaning the need for quality child care far outweighs the supply — and it's worse in rural areas.

After the deadly bird flu hit egg-producing flocks, the supply of eggs shrank dramatically. That’s led to historically high prices for consumers.

Many ag industry and farm worker advocacy groups had high hopes that farm labor reform would make it through Congress last year. Now the future is murky.

Legislation and programs in states like Missouri and Nebraska are paving the way to welcome large livestock operations by limiting local control over the facilities. Some rural residents worry about the potential pollution and decreased quality of life that will bring.

High prices for products like eggs and grain are expected to lead to a record windfall for farmers this year, overcoming drought, bird flu and costly inputs. But the profit margin is thinner for small producers and those hit hard by dry conditions.

A new report from the USDA shows that rural areas are continuing to see growth among people over 65 while the working age population continues to decline.

The Farm Bill, that sets important policy on everything from crop insurance to SNAP benefits, is up for renewal next year. But the results of the midterm elections may not shed much light on how that legislation will end up.

American farming increasingly relies on software to keep the U.S. the world’s top food producer. But all that reliance on code-driven machinery has drawn ransomware attacks that could prove particularly devastating during harvest.