Agriculture(Page 5)

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

A quarter of new invasive species were spotted by everyday citizen-scientists

A quarter of new invasive species were spotted by everyday citizen-scientists A quarter of new invasive species were spotted by everyday citizen-scientists

By Shaena Montanari

Shovel digging into soil.

Compost can help protect us from food poisoning Compost can help protect us from food poisoning

By Shaena Montanari

Wine being poired into glasses overlooking natural landscape.

Is your wine really sustainable? Here’s how to tell. Is your wine really sustainable? Here’s how to tell.

By Shaena Montanari

Brown cow at a mountain farm.

Putting cows on a seaweed diet helps curb their methane burps Putting cows on a seaweed diet helps curb their methane burps

By Shaena Montanari

How much more would you pay for a chocolate bar made without child labor?

How much more would you pay for a chocolate bar made without child labor? How much more would you pay for a chocolate bar made without child labor?

By Donavyn Coffey

Chick sitting on woodchips in a wire pen

US egg producers could save billions of chicks a year. So why aren’t they? US egg producers could save billions of chicks a year. So why aren’t they?

By Jonathan Moens/Undark

A mature cacao tree with the unripe fruits that are used to make chocolate

Cacao growers are bugging out about our chocolate supply Cacao growers are bugging out about our chocolate supply

By DeWayne Shoemaker/The Conversation

honeycomb in a plastic bag

Bee theft is almost a perfect crime—but there’s a new sheriff in town Bee theft is almost a perfect crime—but there’s a new sheriff in town

By Andrew Zaleski

A pack of llamas on top of a canyon in Peru

Llamas are hotter than ever. Here’s why. Llamas are hotter than ever. Here’s why.

By Emily Wakild/The Conversation

Your pee could be the golden ticket to a greener world Your pee could be the golden ticket to a greener world

Tim Robinson illustration

Appalachia’s ginseng goldmine may not last much longer Appalachia’s ginseng goldmine may not last much longer

By Emily Cataneo/Undark

cows in a pasture

Gene-edited cows could make meat more sustainable. But would people eat it? Gene-edited cows could make meat more sustainable. But would people eat it?

By Dyllan Furness/Undark

What not to do with the mysterious seeds you received in the mail recently What not to do with the mysterious seeds you received in the mail recently

By Sara Kiley Watson

Pesticide-killed locusts

An unprecedented locust swarm is creating unlikely allies An unprecedented locust swarm is creating unlikely allies

By Lou Del Bello/Undark

Chipotle queso blanco

Inside Chipotle’s two-year process of reinventing its queso Inside Chipotle’s two-year process of reinventing its queso

By Stan Horaczek

A healthy wasp microbiome can fend off pesticides A healthy wasp microbiome can fend off pesticides

By Kate Baggaley

tractor spraying insecticide over field

Pesticide testing is flawed—and it’s harming our birds and bees Pesticide testing is flawed—and it’s harming our birds and bees

flooded field with silo in background

Last year’s historic floods ruined 20 million acres of farmland Last year’s historic floods ruined 20 million acres of farmland

Close up of fresh organic super food salad in white bowl with fork on side and olive oil, red wine vinegar and lemons

Why romaine lettuce keeps getting recalled Why romaine lettuce keeps getting recalled

a bunch of small tomatoes

These gene-edited tomatoes grow in cute little bouquets suited to urban farming These gene-edited tomatoes grow in cute little bouquets suited to urban farming

a pile of french fries and a bowl of ketchup

Our french fry supply is safe for now, but the future is uncertain Our french fry supply is safe for now, but the future is uncertain

colorful carrots with locally grown tag attached

Is organic food bad for the environment? Is organic food bad for the environment?

Brazilian farmers owe Monsanto $7.7 billion, court rules

Brazilian farmers owe Monsanto $7.7 billion, court rules Brazilian farmers owe Monsanto $7.7 billion, court rules

By Karine Eliane Peschard/The Conversation

This map shows how food travels from farms to your home

This map shows how food travels from farms to your home This map shows how food travels from farms to your home

By Megan Konar/The Conversation

How China got the first seedling to sprout on the moon

How China got the first seedling to sprout on the moon How China got the first seedling to sprout on the moon

cherries and strawberries

We should all take a month off of red meat We should all take a month off of red meat

Humans started transforming Earth a lot earlier than we thought

Humans started transforming Earth a lot earlier than we thought Humans started transforming Earth a lot earlier than we thought

We’re barreling towards another Dust Bowl

We’re barreling towards another Dust Bowl We’re barreling towards another Dust Bowl

By Erin Blakemore

A great climate comes from happy soil. Could happy soil come from California?

A great climate comes from happy soil. Could happy soil come from California? A great climate comes from happy soil. Could happy soil come from California?

We can’t stop climate change unless we drastically change how we use our land

We can’t stop climate change unless we drastically change how we use our land We can’t stop climate change unless we drastically change how we use our land

Feral hogs aren’t coming for our kids, but they’re definitely coming for our calves

Feral hogs aren’t coming for our kids, but they’re definitely coming for our calves Feral hogs aren’t coming for our kids, but they’re definitely coming for our calves

By Marion Renault

We don’t know what a happy chicken looks like, and that’s a big problem

We don’t know what a happy chicken looks like, and that’s a big problem We don’t know what a happy chicken looks like, and that’s a big problem

By Mary Baxter/The Conversation

Feral pigs are ruining ecosystems across 35 states and hunting is making it worse

Feral pigs are ruining ecosystems across 35 states and hunting is making it worse Feral pigs are ruining ecosystems across 35 states and hunting is making it worse

We waste 40 percent of the food we grow—here’s where it goes

We waste 40 percent of the food we grow—here’s where it goes We waste 40 percent of the food we grow—here’s where it goes

grapes on the vine in a vineyard

Artificial intelligence could help farmers water only the thirsty plants Artificial intelligence could help farmers water only the thirsty plants

By Jeremy Deaton

Scientists just debunked a major myth about heirloom wheat

Scientists just debunked a major myth about heirloom wheat Scientists just debunked a major myth about heirloom wheat

Here’s how much a chocolate bar made without child labor would cost

Here’s how much a chocolate bar made without child labor would cost Here’s how much a chocolate bar made without child labor would cost

By Donavyn Coffey

Humans can’t manage this invasive fly—but a mind-controlling fungi might

Humans can’t manage this invasive fly—but a mind-controlling fungi might Humans can’t manage this invasive fly—but a mind-controlling fungi might

By Marion Renault

Watering space plants is hard, but NASA has a plan

Watering space plants is hard, but NASA has a plan Watering space plants is hard, but NASA has a plan

By Ellen Airhart

Meet the ‘Oyster Wench’—a single mom fighting pollution with the power of clams and kelp

Meet the ‘Oyster Wench’—a single mom fighting pollution with the power of clams and kelp Meet the ‘Oyster Wench’—a single mom fighting pollution with the power of clams and kelp

By Marlene Cimons

African swine fever has killed a million pigs—and isn’t slowing down

African swine fever has killed a million pigs—and isn’t slowing down African swine fever has killed a million pigs—and isn’t slowing down

By Kaitlin Sullivan

To protect the world’s pasta, scientists peered inside fettuccine’s DNA

To protect the world’s pasta, scientists peered inside fettuccine’s DNA To protect the world’s pasta, scientists peered inside fettuccine’s DNA

At the height of the Peruvian guano boom, people mined poop instead of gold

At the height of the Peruvian guano boom, people mined poop instead of gold At the height of the Peruvian guano boom, people mined poop instead of gold

By Alice Outwater

Young farmers are challenging convention to improve sustainability

Young farmers are challenging convention to improve sustainability Young farmers are challenging convention to improve sustainability

By Marlene Cimons

Oroville flood 1964 California floods drought

Why California’s droughts and floods will only get worse Why California’s droughts and floods will only get worse

Tree forest above greening Earth satellite agriculture carbon

Why our blue planet is getting greener Why our blue planet is getting greener

The Green New Deal could help farmers help the planet

The Green New Deal could help farmers help the planet The Green New Deal could help farmers help the planet

By Jeremy Deaton

a field of wheat

These genetic ‘goggles’ could help us engineer wildly resilient crops These genetic ‘goggles’ could help us engineer wildly resilient crops

Sex, starvation, and saltwater moats: snail farms are wilder than you could ever imagine

Sex, starvation, and saltwater moats: snail farms are wilder than you could ever imagine Sex, starvation, and saltwater moats: snail farms are wilder than you could ever imagine

By Eleanor Cummins

Humanity’s obsession with chocolate may go back much further than we thought

Humanity’s obsession with chocolate may go back much further than we thought Humanity’s obsession with chocolate may go back much further than we thought

By Neel V. Patel

Gene editing could turn this wild orphan fruit into your new favorite berry

Gene editing could turn this wild orphan fruit into your new favorite berry Gene editing could turn this wild orphan fruit into your new favorite berry

By Neel V. Patel

Several dozen bees crawl across a yellow honeycomb.

Weedkiller weakens bees by messing with their microbiomes Weedkiller weakens bees by messing with their microbiomes

By Jillian Mock

During a hurricane, where does all the pig poop go? Into your water.

During a hurricane, where does all the pig poop go? Into your water. During a hurricane, where does all the pig poop go? Into your water.

Humans have been messing with the climate for thousands of years

Humans have been messing with the climate for thousands of years Humans have been messing with the climate for thousands of years

By Marlene Cimons

Burnt bread shows that our ancestors were baking 4,000 years before agriculture

Burnt bread shows that our ancestors were baking 4,000 years before agriculture Burnt bread shows that our ancestors were baking 4,000 years before agriculture

By Mary Beth Griggs

Pesticides are making bees dumber

Pesticides are making bees dumber Pesticides are making bees dumber

A snake with blue eyes

These snakes slurp snails, and that’s great for farmers These snakes slurp snails, and that’s great for farmers

Farmer plowing field

Small farmers are mixing old equipment with new tech Small farmers are mixing old equipment with new tech

By Eleanor Cummins

NASA is learning the best way to grow food in space

NASA is learning the best way to grow food in space NASA is learning the best way to grow food in space

By Sarah Scoles

Cleaner pig poop could reduce bacon’s environmental burden

Cleaner pig poop could reduce bacon’s environmental burden Cleaner pig poop could reduce bacon’s environmental burden

By Marlene Cimons

What to expect from the new GMO labels we’re getting in 2020

What to expect from the new GMO labels we’re getting in 2020 What to expect from the new GMO labels we’re getting in 2020

By Sara Chodosh

How to brew worm tea

How to brew worm tea How to brew worm tea

Keep your love of chocolate from destroying the planet with this one easy fix Keep your love of chocolate from destroying the planet with this one easy fix

By Marlene Cimons

The first Antarctic greenhouse harvest may lettuce go to Mars

The first Antarctic greenhouse harvest may lettuce go to Mars The first Antarctic greenhouse harvest may lettuce go to Mars