Agriculture

The latest on what's growing and what's faltering across the world's farms—and the resources they use to keep running.

Latest in Agriculture

Chicken looking at camera against black background

Environment

Chicken fat supercapacitors could store green energy of the future Chicken fat supercapacitors could store green energy of the future

Intercropped tomato (left) compared to monocropped tomatoes (right). Both were planted on the same day, but here we can see that the intercropped tomato plant is larger, bears more fruit, and the tomatoes ripened earlier than its monocropped counterpart.

Science

Ancient farm practice could help sustain future humans on Mars Ancient farm practice could help sustain future humans on Mars

By Laura Baisas

Can AI help tell the difference between a good and bad sweet potato?

Technology

Can AI help tell the difference between a good and bad sweet potato? Can AI help tell the difference between a good and bad sweet potato?

By Mack DeGeurin

three baby chickens standing in a nest with open and unopened eggshells

Science

Why chickens probably crossed the Silk Road Why chickens probably crossed the Silk Road

By Laura Baisas

Sir Ernest Shackleton's ship the Nimrod, among the ice in McMurdo's Sound, Antarctica.

Science

Cracking open a 117-year-old Antarctic milk time capsule Cracking open a 117-year-old Antarctic milk time capsule

By Laura Baisas

dairy cows eating animal feed

Environment

Bird flu detected in dairy cow milk samples Bird flu detected in dairy cow milk samples

By Laura Baisas

a group of burmese pythons

Environment

Scientists propose eating more python Scientists propose eating more python

By Laura Baisas

Shelled and unshelled hazlenuts on a wooden table.

Science

Humans have been eating hazelnuts for at least 6,000 years Humans have been eating hazelnuts for at least 6,000 years

By Laura Baisas

Pigs in sty at factory farm

Environment

Gene-edited pigs immune to deadly virus could arrive on farms by next year Gene-edited pigs immune to deadly virus could arrive on farms by next year

A clear glass tea cup with steaming brown tea sits on a table next to a green tea leaves.

Environment

The ingredients for a tastier, stronger tea could be in the soil The ingredients for a tastier, stronger tea could be in the soil

By Laura Baisas

Pink lab-grown beef rice in white bowl

Environment

Scientists swear their lab-grown ‘beef rice’ tastes ‘pleasant’ Scientists swear their lab-grown ‘beef rice’ tastes ‘pleasant’

A bunch of wet blueberries.

Science

Why blueberries aren’t technically blue Why blueberries aren’t technically blue

By Laura Baisas

Green dots representing spores are dispersed from a leaf.

Science

Watch ‘tiny tornadoes’ spread plant pathogens Watch ‘tiny tornadoes’ spread plant pathogens

By Laura Baisas

John Deere 8R Autonomous Tractor in field

Technology

John Deere and Starlink partner to provide satellite internet for rural farmers John Deere and Starlink partner to provide satellite internet for rural farmers

Salmon fishing in Alaska, fisherman in gloves handling fish in net on a boat

Environment

As salmon disappear, a battle over Alaska Native fishing rights heats up As salmon disappear, a battle over Alaska Native fishing rights heats up

By Max Graham/Grist

Three feral hogs in grass. One is black and standing while grazing. The middle is gray and sitting. The third is brown and also sitting.

Environment

Wild ‘super pigs’ from Canada could become a new front in the war on feral hogs Wild ‘super pigs’ from Canada could become a new front in the war on feral hogs

By Marcus Lashley / The Conversation

Morel mushrooms growing in a greenhouse in central China's Hubei Province. The mushrooms have long brown caps and white stems.

Health

Mysterious morel mushrooms at center of food poisoning outbreak Mysterious morel mushrooms at center of food poisoning outbreak

By Keely Larson / KFF Health News

The Best LED Grow Lights

Gear

The best LED grow lights for 2024 The best LED grow lights for 2024

By Sarah Horaczek

Top: Beans at the CIAT gene bank in Colombia, which has just sent its latest consignments of seeds for conservation at the Global Seed Vault in Svalbard, Norway.

Environment

In the face of extreme weather, scientists look to adapt crops In the face of extreme weather, scientists look to adapt crops

By Lourdes Medrano/Undark

Multiple cows standing in an industrial barn.

Environment

What would happen if everyone stopped eating meat tomorrow? What would happen if everyone stopped eating meat tomorrow?

By Max Graham/Grist

Cranberries at a Thanksgiving table

Environment

Cranberries can bounce, float, and pollinate themselves Cranberries can bounce, float, and pollinate themselves

By Serina DeSalvio / The Conversation

Hot dogs at the grocery store without meat warning labels

Environment

Graphic warning labels might convince people to eat less meat Graphic warning labels might convince people to eat less meat

Why do we eat so many cows

Environment

Why cutting back on cow consumption is so hard Why cutting back on cow consumption is so hard

By Naoki Nitta / Grist

Several blooming yellow sunflowers under a blue sky with white clouds.

Science

We still don’t fully know how sunflowers turn toward the sun We still don’t fully know how sunflowers turn toward the sun

By Laura Baisas

A steak with kelp on top is plated by a chef holding a sauce pan.

Environment

This sea-to-farm-to-table restaurant wants kelp to catch on This sea-to-farm-to-table restaurant wants kelp to catch on

By Laura Baisas

Chicken feather fibers could help make less toxic hydrogen fuel cells

Technology

Chicken feather fibers could help make less toxic hydrogen fuel cells Chicken feather fibers could help make less toxic hydrogen fuel cells

rendering of coop structure in grass

Technology

Finally, a smart home for chickens Finally, a smart home for chickens

By Charlotte Hu

A yellow-ish pepper named Pepper X sits on a crystal dish. Pepper X is the new hottest chili pepper in the world. It was crossbreed with Carolina Reaper and a mystery pepper.

Science

The world’s hottest chili pepper is worse than bear spray The world’s hottest chili pepper is worse than bear spray

By Laura Baisas

Coral Beach on Scotland’s Isle of Skye, dotted with various types of seaweed.

Environment

Europeans ate a lot more seaweed 8,000 years ago Europeans ate a lot more seaweed 8,000 years ago

By Laura Baisas

Travis Gienger of Anoka, Minnesota celebrates during a pumpkin-weighing contest in Half Moon Bay, California.

Environment

This year’s heaviest pumpkin could be baked into 700 pies This year’s heaviest pumpkin could be baked into 700 pies

By Laura Baisas

Green fir trees in neat rows as seen from the air.

Environment

Tree plantations try to offset our carbon pollution. Here’s the problem. Tree plantations try to offset our carbon pollution. Here’s the problem.

A pair of chickens at a poultry farm. Bird flu has been detected in at least 67 countries.

Health

USDA bans French poultry imports over avian influenza vaccine USDA bans French poultry imports over avian influenza vaccine

By Laura Baisas

Aerial shot of sugar cane cropland.

Environment

How sprinkling volcanic rocks on farmland could capture carbon dioxide How sprinkling volcanic rocks on farmland could capture carbon dioxide

By Carla Delgado

Cows being breed to have slicker hair to resist heat

Environment

Farmers are breeding heat-resistant cows Farmers are breeding heat-resistant cows

By Katherine Rapin/Nexus Media

Lush and green mint leaves growing in a garden. To keep disruptive “jumping genes” quiet, some plant species use a process called methylation, which adds regulatory markers to the specific sites in the DNA and can be passed down through epigenetic memory.

Environment

We’re finally figuring out how plants pass on genetic memories We’re finally figuring out how plants pass on genetic memories

By Laura Baisas

This is what happens when feral cows take over a remote Alaskan island

Environment

This is what happens when feral cows take over a remote Alaskan island This is what happens when feral cows take over a remote Alaskan island

By Jude Isabella/Hakai Magazine

Brown-skinned child with black braids at the grocery store holding ripe fruit like pineapple and papaya in arms

Environment

Pick the sweetest, ripest fruit with this science-based guide Pick the sweetest, ripest fruit with this science-based guide

By Sara Chodosh

Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) on a flower in Markham, Ontario, Canada, on August 27, 2022.

Environment

These invasive bugs are a nightmare for Washington’s cherries and hops These invasive bugs are a nightmare for Washington’s cherries and hops

By Natalia Mesa/High Country News

a john deere motor grader in a factory

Technology

In photos: How John Deere builds its massive machines In photos: How John Deere builds its massive machines

By Christopher Payne, Kristin Shaw

A group of colorful spices on a wooden table with a mortar and pestle.

Science

Leftovers of a 2,000-year-old curry discovered on stone cooking tools Leftovers of a 2,000-year-old curry discovered on stone cooking tools

By Laura Baisas

Close up of GOOD Meat lab-grown chicken on table

Technology

Lab-grown chicken is now USDA approved—if you can afford it Lab-grown chicken is now USDA approved—if you can afford it

The sustainable secret to raising tastier crabs

Environment

The sustainable secret to raising tastier crabs The sustainable secret to raising tastier crabs

By Sofia Quaglia/Hakai Magazine

Gardener harvesting beets from ground.

Technology

A robot gardener outperformed human horticulturalists in one vital area A robot gardener outperformed human horticulturalists in one vital area

The weevil Anchylorhynchus trapezicollis is the main pollinator of South American palm Syagrus coronata. Here, the weevil is seen on a female flower, touching the receptive parts and leaving pollen grains in the process.

Environment

Move over, bees: The lowly weevil is a power pollinator Move over, bees: The lowly weevil is a power pollinator

By Laura Baisas

A group of yellow and fuzzy baby chicks.

Environment

How a sniff test could make sexing chicks more humane How a sniff test could make sexing chicks more humane

By Laura Baisas

An oncoming Union Pacific freight train

Environment

30 tons of ammonium nitrate disappeared from a desert-bound train 30 tons of ammonium nitrate disappeared from a desert-bound train

Pink feathery muhly grass are one the many native types of grass you plant in the US.

Environment

9 native grasses that will revitalize your sad, water-wasting lawn 9 native grasses that will revitalize your sad, water-wasting lawn

By Helen Bradshaw

This ancient farming practice could get a boost from the US farm bill

Environment

This ancient farming practice could get a boost from the US farm bill This ancient farming practice could get a boost from the US farm bill

By Ashley Stimpson/Nexus Media

Urban water crises often boil down to classism

Environment

Urban water crises often boil down to classism Urban water crises often boil down to classism

By Carla Delgado

John Deere farm equipment

Technology

How John Deere’s tech evolved from 19th-century plows to AI and autonomy How John Deere’s tech evolved from 19th-century plows to AI and autonomy

By Kristin Shaw

Yosemite National Park waterfall after California winter snow and rain

Environment

What California’s weird winter means for its water problems What California’s weird winter means for its water problems

The oldest chili pepper specimen may be from present-day Colorado

Science

The oldest chili pepper specimen may be from present-day Colorado The oldest chili pepper specimen may be from present-day Colorado

By Sara Kiley Watson

New Zealand’s wild pigs could be a source of much-needed donor organs

Environment

New Zealand’s wild pigs could be a source of much-needed donor organs New Zealand’s wild pigs could be a source of much-needed donor organs

By Bill Morris/Undark

A new robotic seed can wriggle into soil to harvest climate data

Technology

A new robotic seed can wriggle into soil to harvest climate data A new robotic seed can wriggle into soil to harvest climate data

By Sara Kiley Watson

Cannabis sustainability

Environment

Is growing weed sustainable? The answer is complicated. Is growing weed sustainable? The answer is complicated.

By Shaena Montanari

Cannabis plant under purple weed grow light

Science

On 420, learn more about weed with these carefully cultivated science stories On 420, learn more about weed with these carefully cultivated science stories

By Jamie Dickman

Person in a dark room watering a houseplant with a beam of light. Illustrated.

Environment

How to grow plants in the dark How to grow plants in the dark

By Ellen Airhart

Food forests can bring climate resilience, better health, and tasty produce to city residents

Environment

Food forests can bring climate resilience, better health, and tasty produce to city residents Food forests can bring climate resilience, better health, and tasty produce to city residents

By Carla Delgado

Twelve fresh eggs in a DIY wooden egg holder on a granite countertop.

DIY

Go ahead, leave your fresh eggs on the counter in this handmade wooden tray Go ahead, leave your fresh eggs on the counter in this handmade wooden tray

By Jean Levasseur

Tulare Lake flooding stalls a train after severe rainstorms from the atmospheric river in California Central Valley in March 2023

Environment

This phantom lake in California is back with a vengeance This phantom lake in California is back with a vengeance

By Jamie Dickman

This is how bad a ‘super pig’ problem can really get

Environment

This is how bad a ‘super pig’ problem can really get This is how bad a ‘super pig’ problem can really get

By Sage Marshall/Field & Stream

Japanese beekeepers holding honeycomb up at the top of a Tokyo skyscraper

Environment

Beehives are the honeypot for a city’s microbial secrets Beehives are the honeypot for a city’s microbial secrets

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

Paleo and keto diets aren’t great for you or the planet, study says

Environment

Paleo and keto diets aren’t great for you or the planet, study says Paleo and keto diets aren’t great for you or the planet, study says

By Carla Delgado

Poop emoji covered in soap bubbles on a light blue background

Environment

Your poop is useful. Meet the father-son team creating ‘humanure.’ Your poop is useful. Meet the father-son team creating ‘humanure.’

By Lina Zeldovich