Agriculture leaders warn of possible 'widespread collapse of American agriculture' without significant changes

Nearly half of all U.S. farms are not profitable.
(Photo by Matthew Putney, DTN)

A bipartisan group of agricultural leaders representing nearly all sectors of the industry sent a letter to congressional agriculture leaders outlining how current farmer distress is so extreme that, if left unaddressed, the country risks a "widespread collapse of American agriculture." 

The missive identifies the primary causes of the current farm crisis and urges Congress to begin passing its recommended corrective actions immediately.

"The group charged that Trump administration policies 'have caused tremendous harm to U.S. agriculture' and are having long-term negative effects on the competitiveness of farmers and agriculture," report Jerry Hagstrom and Chris Clayton of Progressive Farmer.

The letter points out the stark realities that many American farmers face today: "Farmer bankruptcies have doubled, barely half of all farms will be profitable this year, and the U.S. is running a historic agriculture trade deficit. These metrics reflect a sharp reversal from record farm export surpluses and farm incomes experienced just a few years ago."

The letter cites multiple factors causing the crisis:

• Increased farm input costs driven by tariffs on fertilizer, farm chemicals and machinery parts
• Loss of export markets due to trade wars and withdrawal from trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership
• Weakening of international trade partnerships as traditional allies turn to other suppliers
• Disruptions to agricultural labor supply affecting dairy, fruit and produce, and meat processing
• Massive cuts to USDA staffing and agricultural research funding
• Reductions in foreign aid and domestic food programs

The group asked Congress to immediately take nine specific actions to begin restoring stability for American farmers, including exempting all farm inputs from tariffs, passing legislation for E15 ethanol, passing Trade Promotion Authority, completing review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and passing a new farm bill and farm labor reform.

A letter synopsis and a copy of the letter, including the names and positions of all 27 signatories, are found here. 

First animal case of New World screwworm in 10 years discovered in Florida

An animal wound with New World screwworm eggs,
larvae and an adult. (Photo by Samantha Gibbs, FWS)

The first New World screwworm animal case in 10 years was discovered in Florida earlier this week, prompting farm leaders and state officials to acknowledge that, although current protocols prevented this infected animal from entering the U.S., the noxious pest's reentry may be inevitable.

The blowfly larvae rode in on a horse "from Argentina [that] presented for routine inspection at an import quarantine facility in Florida," report Chris Torres and Joshua Baethge of Farm Progress. Larvae samples collected from a wound during the horse's examinations were "shipped to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Iowa, and it was confirmed that the larvae were New World screwworm."

Sid Miller, Texas agriculture commissioner, said "the detection is proof of the importance of USDA’s import inspection and quarantine protocols," Torres and Baethge write. According to Miller, "Our federal inspection system is working exactly as designed and is an additional biosecurity tool that will protect our industry."

At the annual Lancaster Cattle Feeders Day in late January, Colin Woodall, the CEO for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, told fellow cattle producers, "You should be worried about [NWS] because no doubt there will be a market impact." Torres and Baethge add, "Woodall said beef producers should be prepared for an outbreak."

Using millions of sterile male NSW blowfly dispersals, the USDA and Mexican authorities have been trying to get ahead of the pest's travel through Mexico and into the U.S., where it's most likely to cross into Texas. Farm Progress reports, "The USDA also announced a new dispersal area for sterile flies going as far as 50 miles into Texas to stop the insect’s northern spread."

Female screwworm flies most often lay their eggs in the open wounds or scratches of sheep or cattle, but the larvae will feed on the flesh of any warm-blooded animal, which should leave more than cattle producers worried. Torres and Baethge explain, "Miller says screwworms can infest any of the 200 mammal species in Texas. That’s bad news for pet owners, not to mention the state’s multibillion-dollar wildlife industry."

Snow drought in Western states adds to regional water supply worries and takes a toll on winter tourism

Western states rely on winter snowpack for community
and farming water supplies. (Photo by Lamar, Unsplash)

Unlike most of the country, Western states are experiencing warmer-than-normal winter temperatures and haven't had enough snow to replenish water needed for drier months or sustain winter tourism, which helps to fuel their economy.

"An extreme snow drought and unusually warm weather are keeping skiers off the mountains, snowmobilers off the trails and water out of the rivers across much of the West," reports Jim Robbins for The New York Times.

Much of the West relies on thawing winter snowpack to provide water for residents, irrigation, trout streams and reservoirs throughout the year.

The lack of snowpack in the Colorado Rockies and the Colorado River Basin "adds to the 26-year-long megadrought in the region, which has led to extremely low levels in the two largest reservoirs on the Colorado River," Robbins explains. "Colorado is having its warmest winter since 1895."

The reason for the drastic change in snowfall and temperature between the last few years and this year "isn’t easily explained," Robbins adds. "Scientists have found that it is difficult to attribute the snow drought entirely to climate change."

Skiing tourism in Oregon has been particularly hard hit because there's been so little snow. Presley Quon, a spokesperson for Mt. Bachelor, a ski resort near Bend, Ore., told the Times, "It’s been a really rough season for ski resorts." Robbins adds, "Last year at this time, Mt. Bachelor had 109 inches of snow at its base; this year it has 27 inches."

At higher elevations, snowpack inches are at a more normal level; however, the runoff most communities rely on for water "comes from the middle and lower elevations, which cover a far greater area than the land at higher altitudes," Robbins explains. 

Despite the abysmal snowfall thus far, there's still time for snowpack levels to rebound. Robbins adds, "February, March and often April are the months when most of the snow usually falls in the mountains."

Sign-up is open for free agritourism training series for U.S. veterans and active military

Mural painter Pamela Kellough gave this barn a patriotic makeover. 
(Photo by Pamela Kellough, Successful Farming)

Veterans and active U.S. military interested in farming agritourism can sign up now to attend the in-person, hybrid or online training series: "Serving the Land: A Veteran's Guide to Farm Stays and Outdoor Experiences."

The training includes "five live online sessions held each Monday evening in March, with topics including budgeting, risk management, goal setting, taxes and recordkeeping, and digital marketing," reports Lisa Foust Prater of Successful Farming. "On-demand online classes on zoning, insurance, and agritourism laws can be taken anytime."

Cost: Free for active military service members and military veterans
When: March through August
Where: Online and participating farm stay locations across Nebraska (to be announced). Online tours will be provided for participants who can't attend in person.
Registration required by March 16: Click here to register.
Questions/assistance with registering: Contact Kirstin Bailey, kirstinb@cfra.org or 402.870.2390, or Deborah Solie, deborahs@cfra.org or 402.870.1133

Kirstin Bailey, senior project manager with the center, told Prater, "Participants will learn directly from farmers and agritourism leaders about the business of hosting guests on working farms. They will also receive practical tools, examples, and worksheets to help prepare them for launching or expanding guest-based agritourism enterprises."

Stipends are available to cover approved expenses, such as travel, meals and child care. Individuals are welcome to attend with family members. 

This program is sponsored by the Center of Rural Affairs, a nonprofit focused on cultivating strong communities through social and economic efforts and environmental stewardship.

Flora & Fauna: Newborn calf cuddles; coast martens recovery; smoke-resistant potatoes; Puppy Bowl XXII

This newborn calf was struggling in the deep freeze until she was brought indoors to curl up on couch.
(Photo by Macey Sorrell via WKYT-27)

Frigid temperatures left a newborn calf struggling for survival until her farming family in Mount Sterling, Kentucky, brought her indoors to warm. up. "The calf was born outdoors in single-digit temperatures. Macey Sorrell said her husband, Tanner, went outside to check on the pregnant mother and found the calf, suffering in the cold," reports Dylan Lovan of The Associated Press. Macey Sorrell told reporters, "When we brought her in, she had ice on her. The afterbirth was still on her. I had to wipe all that off. I took out the blow dryer and warmed her up, and got her all fluffed out."

During autumn, leaves change into vibrant shades of yellow, orange and red, then tumble to the ground, where they brown and return to nature. But not all leaves fall. "Even in the height of winter, a curious number of oak and beech trees refuse to let go of their brown, brittle foliage," write Kasha Patel, Emily Wright and Marvin Joseph of The Washington Post. Scientists are investigating why some plants don't seal off dead leaves, causing them to fall. "They found a surprising number of species hold onto their papery remains — but the explanations are anything but cut and dried."

Humboldt martens are known for their inquisitive 
expressions. (Photo by Ben Wymer via Popular Science)

Having once ranged all about the Pacific Northwest, coastal martens, also known as Humboldt martens, were believed to have been hunted into extinction by fur traders "until a U.S. Forest Service biologist discovered a small population in the coastal woods of northern California in 1996," reports Laura Baisas for Popular Science. Coastal martens, known for their cute, inquisitive furry faces, are "related to weasels, otters, mink, wolverines, and fetters are making a slow recovery in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. . . . They are currently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, and are at risk due to habitat loss, rodenticides, vehicles, and disease."

Current rules only allow mules to compete as jumpers.
(Photo by Amy Heartfield via The Chronicle of the Horse)

Horses aren't the only four-legged animals that can be trained for hunting competitions -- mules can too. But current U.S. Equestrian Federation rules only allow mules to show in equine jumping competitions. Sport horse breeder Kimmy Risser and Holly Fox, who are both mule enthusiasts, are pushing to have the rules changed, reports Sarah K. Susa for The Chronicle of the Horse. According to Risser and Fox, "There’s just no reason mules can’t compete against horses. Hunter classes have clear standards, and mules can be held to those same standards and judged equally alongside their horse competitors."

Wildfire smoke in the West can spread for miles from a fire site and harm crops in its path. "Similar to how it affects humans, smoke can block out sunlight and inhibit photosynthesis," reports Shelby Vittek for Offrange. Idaho researchers have been working with different potato varieties to identify the most smoke-tolerant. "The current study is focused on three French fry cultivars: Russet Burbank, which makes up almost half of all plantings in the state; Clearwater Russet, a new variety that’s popular for its heat resistance; and Alturas Russets, a late-maturing and high-yielding potato. Preliminary results already show that certain varieties might fare better than others." 

                   The Puppy Bowl's fine flying canine promoters soar to an epic Styx song.  

Puppy Bowl XXII returns to screens on Sunday, Feb. 8, beginning at 2 p.m. EST. The furry competition between Team Ruff and Team Fluff is sure to feature penalty flags, squeaky toys, Hail Mary catches, adorable side-eyes, fumbles, speedy paws and touchdowns. This Animal Planet tradition is one of the country's biggest rallies for pet adoption. This year's teams boast a highfalutin lineup, including puppies like "Button," who has soft ears and a hard game. Or "Lobster Roll" from Westbrook, Maine. She's 30 pounds of muscle. . .not the seafood kind. . . It's football, only better.  

EPA clarification helps farmers secure the right to repair their own equipment

The EPA issued guidance that the Clean Air Act does not interfere with 
farmers’ right to repair equipment. (Photo by Lance Cheung, USDA)

After years of battling for the right to repair their own equipment, American farmers gleaned a victory from the Environmental Protection Agency.

As of Monday, the agency "notified manufacturers that the Clean Air Act does not prohibit independent repairs to off-road diesel equipment such as farm machinery," reports Cami Koons of the Iowa Capital Dispatch. "A news release from EPA said manufacturers 'can no longer' use the act to 'justify limiting access to repair tools or software.'"

The EPA news release outlined how equipment manufacturers have consistently used the Clean Air Act to force farmers to wait for company-certified techs, pay for repairs they could have done themselves, or work with older, less sophisticated equipment.

Farm machinery manufacturer John Deere "has been central to the right-to-repair issue," Koons explains. The company had used the Clean Air Act to restrict farmers from tampering with emission control systems, insisting that its machinery used "sophisticated technology that could only be [legally] worked on by John Deere technicians."

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said that EPA's clarification is "expected to save farmers thousands in unnecessary repairs . . . .We are reaffirming the lawful right of American farmers and equipment owners to repair their farm equipment.”

During his January visit to Iowa, President Donald Trump said he planned to remove some emission requirements for tractors, Koons reports. In a speech to a crowd of Iowans, Trump said, "We’re going to get the tractors back where you don’t have to be a Ph.D. in order to start your tractor, in order to keep the environment clean."

A rural Minnesota town works to manage effects of ICE raids on local community

A group of concerned Willmar residents gather to discuss
recent ICE activity. (Photo by B. Froiland, The Yonder)

What would you do if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement descended on your small town? Residents of Willmar, Minnesota, are working on an answer.

The town might have only 21,000 people, but as ICE has fanned out in Minnesota's bigger cities, such as Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., it has also taken to raiding in smaller towns like Willmar, which has a racially diverse population, including many Somali and Latino residents.

A group of Willmar residents, who have been working together to prevent community ICE arrests, recently met at a local Mexican restaurant to discuss ICE actions and possible ways to help threatened neighbors, reports Betsy Froiland of The Daily Yonder. "The residents around the table were high school students and business owners, children and parents, white neighbors witnessing the terror in their community and neighbors of color living it."

One Willmar resident told the group, “You see things in the news and you think, ‘that’s never going to happen here,’ Froiland reports. “And then you’re witnessing it firsthand.”

The ongoing ICE presence is also having a chilling effect on the town's economy. Froiland explains, "With people too afraid to leave their homes to work or shop, many local businesses are taking a financial hit."

Location of Willmar within 
Kandiyohi County, Minn.

Right now, many Willmar residents are doing their best to look out for one another and provide for residents in hiding. Froiland reports, "They are picking up the pieces after ICE arrests a neighbor, contacting their family, returning their belongings, and arranging care for children and pets left behind."

Other residents have seen their relationships with neighbors fracture. Froiland writes, "While some cross-party relationships remain intact, others have devolved, particularly online, into political sparring about ICE."

The group at the table is trying to figure out how to handle present-day life in Willmar." Julie Vossen-Henslin, another resident in the room, wondered aloud about how the community might recover from an experience like this, Froiland adds. "Then, looking at her neighbors sitting around their big, makeshift table, she answered her own question, 'it starts like this.'"

As five states roll out 'no junk food' SNAP rules, retailers scramble to update their systems and educate SNAP users

States in green have been granted federal SNAP waivers to restrict SNAP benefit purchases. (USDA map)

State food-choice restrictions on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program purchases have some grocery stores in a conundrum, trying to determine which foods are allowed and which aren't.

Beginning Jan. 1, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah and West Virginia rolled out their new "no junk food" SNAP purchase limits, but a total of "eighteen states have adopted new food-stamp restrictions," report Jesse Newman and Laura Cooper of The Wall Street Journal. As a whole, rural Americans are more likely to use SNAP benefits, but less likely to know about benefit changes because of online access limits.

Each state has limited different items and has varied its wording of restrictions, which can be confusing. For instance, in Indiana, mini-donuts can be purchased with SNAP benefits, but candy bars cannot. The Journal reports, "Grocery executives said that determining which products are food-stamp eligible and which aren’t has become a complex undertaking."

Retailers, who are working to ensure that only SNAP-allowed items can be purchased, have had "employees sifting through state-issued flow charts, scanning product bar codes and checking ingredient lists across thousands of goods in stores," Newman and Cooper explain. Allowed items have to be cataloged and entered into computer systems as well.

Beyond the labor hours needed to update their SNAP catalogs, retailers and industry groups said "guidance from USDA and many state agencies on how to implement the new restrictions has been insufficient," Newman writes.

For states that implemented their restrictions on Jan. 1, many SNAP enrollees seem unaware of the changes. Mark Griffin, chief executive of grocery chain B&R Stores, said "his company is dealing with lines at checkout counters as clerks tell longtime customers they can no longer use food stamps to buy soda or candy," the Journal reports.

The SNAP changes are part of a federal push to help Americans make healthier dietary choices; however, opponents to SNAP restrictions point out that "limiting grocery options ignores the real causes of poor diets, such as low incomes, high food prices and access to healthy food," the Journal reports. Last month, the Trump administration unveiled new dietary guidelines that it hopes can address some of the chronic diet-related diseases in Americans.

Wind farm projects are 'teetering on the brink,' despite soaring electricity demand

Wind power is being blown over by opposition from local residents, who don't like the look of turbines, and the Trump administration, which ended federal tax credits and has worked to stall federal permitting approvals. Without robust growth in wind power, experts are doubtful the U.S. will be able to meet future electricity demand.

In states that were once turbine-friendly, "new wind project developments are teetering on the brink, despite growing power demand," report Dan Gearino and Anika Jane Beamer of Inside Climate News. "Even Iowa, the nation’s most wind-powered state, is 'closed for business,' experts say."

Graph by Paul Horn, ICN, from Energy Information 
Administration data 

Although the Trump administration's resistance to offshore wind farms may be more familiar to Americans, the administration's weakening of land-based or 'onshore' wind development will have a much larger impact on the nation's power grid. Gearino and Beamer write, "In 2024, the most recent full year for which data is available, wind energy produced 7.7% of the nation’s electricity, more than any other renewable source."

Atin Jain, an energy analyst for the research firm BloombergNEF, told ICN, "U.S. onshore wind is in its weakest shape in about a decade, not because the technology has stopped being competitive, but because the policy and, to an extent, the macro-environment have turned sharply against it."

During the early to mid-2010s, many Iowa landowners and local governments welcomed wind farm developments and the significant revenue they generated. Opposition from residents was sporadic and generally ineffective, but "in the late 2010s, something changed," Gearino and Beamer explain. "In both Iowa and nationwide, wind energy projects began to face local opposition that was more aggressive and better organized than before."

The era of growth in Iowa’s wind industry "is almost certainly nearing its end," ICN reports. "The resistance comes almost entirely from the local level. . . . Roughly 58 of Iowa’s 99 counties now have rules designed to limit wind power development, including many of the counties with the strongest wind resources."

How to stay safe when it's cold and there's a power outage

Photo by S. Modak, Unsplash

Whether it's 32 degrees or -5 degrees, prolonged exposure to cold air takes a toll on the human body. For rural residents living in remote areas far from help, or in regions not accustomed to colder temperatures, knowledge about coping with cold, including proper clothing, and supplies for extended power outages can save lives, reports Devi Shastri of The Associated Press.

Cold can be stealthy. "Some of the most dangerous situations happen when the temperature is low for a long time, even 30 to 40 F," Shastri writes, "In these situations, long-term cold exposure taxes the body, driving up blood pressure and working the heart." A person who is shivering needs to be warmed as soon as possible.

Drinking plenty of water helps people stay warm. Drinking alcohol isn't advised because it can make people feel warmer than they are.

Wearing layers of dry clothes, especially dry socks, is one of the best ways to help the body trap heat. "The North Carolina Department of Emergency Management suggests wearing warm, loose-fitting, lightweight clothing in many layers that are easy to add or remove," Shastri reports. "It also recommends covering your mouth with scarves to protect the lungs from directly breathing in extremely cold air."

Smaller spaces will stay warmer. If you're waiting for the heat to come back on, move into a smaller room. Some sources even suggest pitching a tent in a room and climbing into a sleeping bag to add heat.

Check on your neighbors. "Young children, older adults and people with chronic health conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure are the most at risk when it’s cold," Shastri adds. "Community awareness is key during dangerous cold spells. Many don’t realize they need help until someone asks."

As the U.S. struggles to define its international trade policies, China and South America move forward together

A direct trade route from the Port of Chancay, Peru, to Shanghai, China, decreases 
transit time and lowers costs. (Investigate Midwest map)

Despite the financial boost China's purchase of 12 million tons of soybeans gave some U.S. farmers this year, the shift in Beijing's trading partners doesn't bode well for future U.S. crop sales. China has spent the past decade fostering global relationships outside of trade with the U.S., with a particular focus on South America.

China has invested in nearly two dozen seaports throughout Latin American, which create a "logistics network to support China's growing trade with the region," reports Mónica Cordero of Investigate Midwest. "These seaport investments range from multi-billion-dollar deep-water terminals to smaller upgrades that improve rail links, storage capacity, and ship turnaround times."

COSCO Shipping, a Chinese state-owned company, has been investing in Peru's Pacific-facing Port of Chancay. "The $3.54 billion project marks a major expansion of China’s Belt and Road Initiative into Latin America," Cordero writes. "From Chancay, the promise is that ships will reach China faster, a critical advantage for agricultural products."

Many experts point to the U.S.-China trade war that began in 2018, during President Donald Trump's first term, as the reason China began shunning American agriculture. Cordero explains, "But since returning to office, the president has renewed that strategy, and China’s investments signal a generational shift that may not reverse if and when the trade war subsides."

Without sales to China, American soybean farmers are in a particularly vulnerable position. Cordero reports, "Nationwide, more than 270,000 farms grow soybeans. . . . In Illinois, nearly half of all farms depend on soybean production, and in Iowa and Minnesota, about four in 10 do." 

"As China establishes new trade routes across Latin America, every new port or shipping lane makes a future recovery for U.S. farmers more challenging," Cordero writes. April Hemmes, an Iowa soybean farmer, told Cordero, "The only way that we become their top choice would be if our soybeans were far cheaper than South America’s.”

A 'Nursery to Nursing Home' campaign for a rural Wisconsin community could help the well-being of children, older adults

Members of Groundswell Collective advocate for their 
'Nursery to Nursing Home' campaign (Photo The Yonder)

In Walworth County, Wisconsin, a local community group called Groundswell Collective proposed to turn a vacant wing of the county’s nursing home into a combined childcare center and senior-living space, reports Madeline de Figueiredo for The Daily Yonder.

Like many rural communities, this county has faced challenges such as a lack of child care and senior care, as well as the loneliness and isolation that can come with living in a rural area with long winters.

Abriana Krause, who lives and works in the area as a childcare provider, told the Yonder, "In Walworth County, all 2,240 licensed childcare slots, spread across the 35 active centers listed on the DCF [Department of Children and Families] website, are already full. That leaves nearly 2,680 children without stable care." Similarly, Wisconsin is projected to need 33,000 long-term care beds by 2030.

To support their proposal, the Groundswell Collective has relied on research that shows the benefits of intergenerational care, such as "boosting the well-being of both children and older people, reducing isolation, improving cognitive and physical health for older people, and cultivating empathy and connection in young children," Figueiredo explains. Intergenerational care has also been linked to dispelling age stereotypes and a renewed sense of care that affects entire communities and fosters lasting relationships.

Research also shows that the benefits intergenerational spaces offer can "extend to the caregiving staff," Figueiredo reports. "Daily interaction with both children and older adults can enhance the work environment and make intergenerational centers more rewarding for staff." There’s hope that this initiative will help the county retain nursing staff.

After almost a year of the community organizing around the proposal, the Walworth County Board approved funding in November for a feasibility study on the intergenerational care center.

Trump traveled to Iowa to show farmers his support and to tout $12 billion federal aid package

Trump poses for photos with younger
"fans" during his Iowa visit.

President Donald Trump returned to Iowa this week to reassure farmers of his support and to tout his administration’s recent $12 billion farming aid package. 

But as farmers face economic headwinds, "some are growing frustrated with how his policies, including his far-reaching tariffs, have hurt the agricultural economy," report Patrick Thomas and Ken Thomas of The Wall Street Journal.

Trump told an audience of diners at the Machine Shed restaurant in Urbandale, Iowa, that he "'gave farmers $12 billion . . . because they were treated unfairly by foreign countries," the Journal reports. The crowd applauded.

Despite the rousing crowd support the president received, some U.S. farms are hurting. Thomas writes, "In the first nine months of 2025, nearly 300 farms filed for bankruptcy, up almost 40% from 2024, according to U.S. court data."

Mark Mueller, who is president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, told the Journal, "We’re getting a lot of lip service. He’s saying that he’s going to do all these things to make things wonderful. We’ll have a new golden era of agriculture. No, that’s not been the case.”

Last month, Trump angered cattle producers by taking to social media and demanding that they lower beef prices. American livestock owners, who have made abysmal profits for years, are just now realizing steady profits.

Other farmers have been "irked by a lack of ag-friendly policy victories in Washington, such as expanding the blending of corn into gasoline and soybeans into diesel," the Journal reports. Farming advocacy groups have pushed for "increasing the use of gasoline with 15% ethanol, known as E15, [that] would increase demand for U.S.-grown corn and push up prices."

Meanwhile, the state will have some intensely competitive midterm elections where Democrats are working to gain traction. Steve Scheffler, who leads the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition, "recalled that former President Barack Obama carried the state in the 2008 and 2012 elections," Thomas adds. "He warned that Democrats would try to make inroads in this year’s midterms — without Trump’s name on the ballot."

The Northern Cheynne Tribe reaches for sovereignty with its buffalo herd and a new solar array that provides energy

The Northern Cheyenne Tribe's buffalo roam on more 15,000 acres
in southeastern Montana. (Photo via The Daily Yonder)

The Northern Cheyenne Reservation in southeastern Montana is home to the Northern Cheyenne tribe, a growing herd of buffalo and a new solar installation that will allow the tribe to expand its buffalo restoration program while providing a better path to tribal food and energy sovereignty. 

The buffalo herd roams on a vast swath of land that covers more than 15,000 acres and "has no transmission lines crossing it, meaning there’s no way to get electricity out to the land unless the electricity is completely off the grid," reports Ilana Newman of The Daily Yonder. "Last year, the Northern Cheyenne buffalo program received a solar array that will allow it to expand the herd and processing capacity of the facility."

Although all Native American tribes are said to be sovereign nations, in practice, many tribes have been forced to rely on the U.S. federal government for some form of support. Newman explains, "But sovereignty is still the goal for every tribal nation. And asserting independence around how they manage their food, health, and energy are some main ways indigenous communities are reclaiming sovereignty."

Bringing back buffalo herds can be key for tribes like the Northern Cheyenne, who have been working on plans to improve tribal members' health while caring for tribal lands. Newman reports, "Tribes and researchers are proving that buffalo are the key to healthier ecosystems and food sovereignty for northern plains tribes."

The Northern Cheyenne's buffalo herd is around 300 head and not cheap to care for; however, the "solar array brings the buffalo program closer to self-sufficiency," Newman writes. "It currently powers a small bunkhouse. . . Starlink internet, and a freezer that holds processed bison meat. It also powers electric fences and gates to keep out intruders."

Even with the buffalo and the solar panels, the Northern Cheyenne must plan carefully. Brandon Small, who runs the buffalo restoration program, told Newman, "We wanted to do it in such a way that we could still get meat processed and donated out to the communities, but still have enough money to keep our operation going and keep growing and expanding."

Reporting on winter weather offers unique opportunities for community service and local stories

National Guard soldiers push a stuck motorist’s vehicle in Indiana.
(Indiana National Guard photo, Flickr CC, via SEJ)

Old Man Winter is here, and he appears to be angry, which may be miserable for most of us; however, seasonal swings provide a unique opportunity for community reporters who can offer highly localized weather data and stories to help their readers with local forecasts, weather warnings, safety reminders and precautions specific to regional needs.

The National Snow and Ice Data Center may have a global reach, but it also "monitors all kinds of things that may make more local news near you," reports Joseph A. Davis for the Society of Environmental Journalists.

"Maybe you live in a water-scarce area like California or the Colorado River Basin. The NSIDC not only monitors seasonal snowpack but translates that into meltwater potential."

When reporting about weather, it's good to remember that not everyone can work from home and "some people have to slog to work to make trips possible for those who do," Davis writes. "Wintry conditions affect the lives of all kinds of people. Plow operators can look forward to double shifts. . . . . Restaurant workers could lose their jobs if they don’t show for work. Farmers can lose their crops or livestock, and older people stuck at home if their heat goes out could die."

Stories can cover how local medical clinics and rural hospitals prepare for snow and ice storms, or could explore how highway officials and snowplow operators prepare for extreme winter weather. 

Davis recommends these reporting resources: 

• National Weather Service: Depending on your perspective, you may want to check in with your local NWS office for forecasts and alerts.
• National Snow and Ice Data Center: Not only does it have ski reports, but it also puts them in terms of global climate.
• National Integrated Drought Information System: A multi-agency government/academic data portal on drought conditions; check out its snow drought data and maps.
• California Snowpack Maps: Because snowpack predicts water supply, Californians check snow often. Good maps with the state’s Department of Water Resources and with the U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest regional maps.
• SkiCentral: A commercial service tracking ski snow reports for the United States, Canada and beyond.
• OnTheSnow: A fairly good listing of snow conditions at most major ski areas. The site is ultimately aimed at getting paying guests to ski resorts.
• American Automobile Association: AAA offers travel advisories, although only to members of this road-travel service.

Quick hits: Defining rural; WD-40 secret society; electric vehicle stations keep growing; a mental health hotline for teens, staffed by teens

What is rural? A recently recorded webinar addresses that question and adds context. "In 2025, many agencies across the federal government released new data allowing users to understand how rural populations and areas are changing. This webinar will provide a brief history of rural population over time and review how the term 'rural' is defined," reports the Rural Health Information Hub. "Changes to rural areas, as identified by Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), with their most recent September 2025 data release, will be highlighted." Find session handouts here, and the audio version here. The recorded YouTube discussion is shared above. 

Carmel-by-the-Sea coastline (Wikipedia photo)

Whimsical or fantastic, home addresses in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, had a breezy flair, free of physical address numbers, but that's about to change. "For 109 years, residents have used directional descriptors. . . . such as Sea Castle, Nut House and A Turn of Fraise," reports Hailey Branson-Potts of the Los Angeles Times. "This spring, every government building, business and house in the town of 3,200 people will be assigned a number." Many residents have long resisted the move, but "complaints about missed packages and mail-order medications, as well as trouble setting up banking accounts and utilities, kept piling up."

WD-40 can remove chewing gum
from all kinds of surfaces.

Freemasons and the Knights Templar aren't the only ones with secret societies: WD-40, the world's most famous lubricant, has one, too. The company's current CEO, Steve Brass, was at the helm for nearly 30 years before he was allowed to join the ultra-secret club, which gave him access to the "undisclosed Bank of America location" where the WD-40's handwritten formula is kept, reports Jennifer Williams of The Wall Street Journal. The formula has "only left a bank vault three times in the past 30 years." WD-40 is 70 years old and has been used "for everything from loosening bolts to coaxing a boa constrictor out of a car engine compartment and removing gum from turtle shells."

Zoom. Zoom. Zoom. It could be the sound of a Mazda, or the sound of EV charging stations popping up across the U.S., despite recent efforts to depress EV sales. "The U.S. added a record number of public electric-vehicle fast chargers last year, keeping up with demand from growing number of EV owners," reports Jeff St. John of Canary Media. "The Trump administration pushed Republicans in Congress to cancel Biden-era EV tax credits and revoke states’ rights to set clean-car mandates" but that hasn't put the brakes on charging station builds and consumer use. Data analytics firm Paren found that "new chargers are working more reliably and being used more heavily than ever — a sign the country is matching charging supply to demand." 

Approximately 100 teen volunteers log more than 10,000 contacts a year from youth around the world. (Teen Line photo via Reasons to be Cheerful)

When teens need someone to talk to about life problems, sometimes the best listener is another teen. Since 1980, the Center for the Study of Young People in Groups in California has supported a free teen hotline that connects trained teens with peers for nonjudgmental listening. Michaela Haas for Reasons to be Cheerful reports, "Approximately 40% of U.S. high-school students report persistent sadness or hopelessness, and suicide remains the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10 to 24. . . .For the teens who undergo rigorous training to become hotline volunteers, the experience can be "transformative." Read about the full project and its impact here. 

Pew Research graph, from survey of U.S. adults 
conducted Nov. 17-30, 202

The good, the bad and the ugly: That's what the majority of Americans say we need to be sharing about U.S. history, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. Andy Cerda of the Pew Research Center reports, "Majorities in both parties say it’s important to talk about both America’s successes and its failures. . . .66% of U.S. adults say it is extremely or very important to publicly discuss the country’s historical successes and strengths and 66% say the same about discussing the country’s historical failures and flaws."

Wisconsin utility regulators review plans for how to pay for data center energy needs

Microsoft’s new AI data center campus in Mount Pleasant, Wis.
(Microsoft graphic via Canary Media)

Utility regulators in Wisconsin are scrutinizing the state's first energy plan to power AI campuses. Meanwhile, consumer and environmental groups dispute the need and consumer benefits for supporting data center developments.

The biggest debate right now is how much of their energy infrastructure costs data centers will be required to pay. Kari Lydersen of Canary Media reports, "Wisconsin’s largest utility, We Energies, has offered its first major proposal before state regulators on the issue."

The proposal, which is open for public comment, contains two options for data centers to choose from, both of which outline that "data centers would pay most or all of the price to construct new power plants or renewables needed to serve them," Lydersen explains. The first option, defined as "full benenfits" requires data centers to fund 100% of their needs. The second option, called "capacity only," requires data centers to pay 75% of their costs. "Other customers would pick up the tab for the remaining 25%."

The We Energies decision is also likely to set a precedent for other Wisconsin utilities managing data center energy plans. Bryan Rogers, the environmental justice director for the Milwaukee community organization Walnut Way Conservation Corp, told Lyderson, "As goes We Energies, so goes the rest of the state.”

Consumer and environmental groups are speaking out against the capacity-only option, arguing that "it is unfair to make regular customers pay a quarter of the price for building new generation that might not have been necessary without data centers in the picture," Lyderson writes.

We Energies says "everyone will benefit from building more power sources," Lyderson reports. Jeffry Pollock, a Wisconsin Industrial Energy Group trade adviser, told regulators that "the utility’s own modeling of the capacity-only approach showed scenarios in which the costs borne by customers outweigh the benefits to them."

Although Wisconsin has seven big data centers under construction, the state "has no laws governing how the computing facilities get their power," Lyderson writes. Wisconsin lawmakers are debating two bills that define data center energy division, but "until a measure is passed, individual decisions by the state Public Service Commission will determine how utilities supply energy to data centers."

Bulk-beef purchases require an investment, but they can help family grocery budgets, cattle farmers and butchers

Graphic by Adam Dixon, Offrange

Whether it's juicy burgers, a tender tri-tip roast, or the rich flavor of grilled steaks, many Americans love their beef. But affording red meat -- even ground beef -- has become trickier for many household budgets. For some families, purchasing a whole or part of an entire cow could be the answer to beef dinners that don't empty the grocery wallet, reports Emma Glassman-Hughes for Offrange. 

Today's meat industry has accustomed most U.S. consumers to choosing beef cuts from grocery store shelves lined with plastic-covered trays, offering a variety of cuts at a wide range of prices. "But with increasing social, political, and economic instability, some [experts] are predicting more Americans will attempt to insulate their pantries. . . by buying their meat in bulk directly from farmers," Glassman-Hughes explains. 

Bulk beef purchases cost more upfront, and consumers pay one price per pound for all cuts. However, the initial cost of half a cow (also known as a side of beef) can be $1,300, which can be cost-prohibitive, even though the price per pound ranges from $6.50 to $7.00, which is a significant savings for family grocery budgets. To offset the costs, some families opt to go in together when purchasing a side of beef and then divide the spoils. Sharing a side of beef purchase also helps consumers reduce the freezer storage space needed. 

A direct-sale bulk meat purchase also helps cattle producers and local economies. Michele Thorne, who heads up the nonprofit, the Good Meat Project, which focuses on helping Americans afford more ethically produced meat, told Offrange, “I enjoy supporting a local farm, because I know that my money is staying in the community, in the state."

While some cattle farmers handle the butchering for their customers, in more remote locations, cow-purchasing customers have to arrange their own butcher, which sometimes requires planning months in advance. Glassman-Hughes explains. "This country’s butchering industry has been shrinking for the last half-century, stretching the remaining butchers to their limits."

Even with the initial planning for upfront costs, freezer space and a butcher, the "experience of buying meat directly from a farmer instead of shrink-wrapped at the grocery store would seem to outweigh the negatives for many," Glassman Hughes adds. "Thorne believes that, if nothing else, buying directly from farmers and butchers goes a long way toward strengthening the overall community fabric."

Find step-by-step "buying half a cow" tips and instructions here. 

Opinion: The Congresswoman who is telling her party to step into the reality of 'regular people'

Gluesenkamp Perez

U.S. Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is a donkey of a different color. As a Democrat elected in a red district, she has worked to keep her finger on the pulse of her rural constituents while pointedly telling her party to step into the reality of "regular people," writes James Pogue in his opinion for The New York Times.

Gluesenkamp Perez believes our society "ought to be oriented toward working with your hands, living in nature and fostering deep and considered connection to a community," Pogue explains. "Her two biggest influences, her former senior adviser guessed, are the Bible and the ruralist Kentucky farmer-author Wendell Berry."

She has gone against her party with bold strokes by "voting against President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan and repeatedly criticizing his administration’s incomprehensible border policy," Pogue adds.

While many Democratic lawmakers have, for decades, focused on data points and expert opinions to win over voters, Gluesenkamp Perez insists that pushing such singular thinking on rural and working-class Americans has created resentment and anger. 

At the Capitol, Gluesenkamp Perez has become the "most visible member of a small movement that has taken the name of the decades-old Blue Dog congressional caucus," Pogue explains. "The Blue Dogs have been arguing that Democrats cannot win over rural or working-class voters simply by studying them . . . . This little movement may well get driven out of the party before Democrats grasp what it’s truly offering."

President Donald Trump's MAGA supporters, who include many voters in rural America, see his administration’s immigration crackdowns and tariffs as "twin pillars in an attempt to create an economic system governed not by gross domestic product data and consumer spending, but by conservative values and nationalist geostrategic ends," Pogue points out. "'Kids don’t 'need 37 dolls,'" Mr. Trump has said. They should have 'three dolls or four.'"

Gluesenkamp Perez and Blue Dog partner Jared Golden, a Democrat from a deeply conservative Maine district, produce a podcast called “Blue Dog Radio" that strives to offer something different from MAGA: an approach that focuses on 'regular people' and the independent spirit many rural Americans hold dear. 

"Together, they’ve tried to articulate a friendly and Americana-inflected cultural politics 'for people who still believe in community, country and the common good,'" Pogue writes. "Coupled with an economic vision that is arguably more radical than programs offered by many leftists. It encompasses antimonopoly policies, right to repair and regulatory changes to smooth the path for people to start businesses, buy and work land, even build their own houses and invent things. . . "

Pogue's entire essay is here.

Rural communities develop child care models that can be reshaped to fit a community's unique needs

Medicine Lodge Daycare shares its building with
four other childcare providers.

As rural parents and government officials partner to address child care provider shortages, new business models that allow would-be home or niche child care providers to operate in non-residential buildings are catching on, reports Anne Vilen of The Daily Yonder. The innovative approaches are providing jobs, child care spots and in some cases, reinvigorating rural downtown spaces. 

The story of LeyAnn Gehlen-Wampler of Medicine Lodge, Kansas, serves as an example. After the birth of her first child, Gehlen-Wampler couldn't find a child care provider. She was considering opening her own child care center when "she met Julie Warner, an early childhood consultant for the city who had once been a family childcare provider herself," Vilen explains.

Gehlen-Wampler and Warner, along with city administrators, smart design and construction professionals, and a mix of grant funding, helped create a "cluster of small, fully equipped childcare businesses in a main street building," Vilen reports. "Although Gehlen-Wampler's Medicine Lodge Daycare occupies a commercial space in the heart of downtown, the building was renovated into five separate rooms with separate entrances and outside playgrounds ideal for five independent family childcare providers."

The child care complex has helped the town's economy too. Medicine Lodge city councilman Matt Forsyth told the Yonder, “What it means for downtown is huge. It keeps Main Street alive in a small town where most main streets are dying."

Now known as the "plex" model, creating more modular child care centers outside of a residential home can't be done in all states. Vilen writes, "Kansas is one of just seven states (the others are Alaska, Missouri, Idaho, Mississippi, Nevada and Wisconsin) that allow family childcare providers to operate in non-residential settings such as schools, businesses, or hospitals."

Other rural areas are developing child care options similar to the complex structure but tailored to their specific needs. In Indiana, communities are participating in a "Micro-Facility Pilot program that launched in early 2025," Vilen adds. "Six existing child care centers applied to open smaller satellites in rural or small town libraries, schools, and shopping centers." 

Providers in Minnesota are experimenting with "child care pods," Vilen reports. "They allow children to bring their own lunches and snacks, support mixed-age groups, and draw on the resources of the larger micro-facility hub for staffing and administrative support."

Spring is coming: Tips on exploring regional bird populations and what readers can do to help them rebound and thrive

The Kirtland's warbler was listed under the Endangered Species Act for more than 
50 years. (Photo by Joel Trick, Flickr Creative Commons, CC by 2.0 via SEJ)

Much of the steep decline in U.S bird populations since 1970 has been caused by human activity, which also means that human activity can reverse that trend. Local environmental journalists can uncover how people are harming birds and help readers learn how to help them recover. 

"If you look deeper into the causes of their decline, it will lead you to many other stories that are the bread and butter of environmental journalism: chemicals, land disturbance, local ecosystems and more. Also, insect decline," writes Joseph A. Davis for the Society for Environmental Journalists. 

As winter slowly slips into spring, bird populations will begin migrating again. Now is a good time to plan stories that explore how birds in your region are faring and provide readers with information that will help them enjoy the wonders of spring migration while supporting bird survival.

Davis provides the following information for journalists.   

Story ideas:

• What were the findings of the Christmas Bird Count in your area? They’re just out — find them here. Talk to local experts about the reasons for the decline of favorite species.
• Find out which migrating bird species go through your area. Where do they stop to rest or feed? What geographic features do they follow?
• Do your bird migrants fly at night? Weather radar images of bird migrations at night make for cool graphics. BirdCast is one good place to find them.
• What can homeowners do to help or hurt bird populations? Lawn chemicals? Native plants? Bird feeders (in my town, we call them cat feeders)?
• What are the ecological features that offer the best habitat and food to birds flying through your area? Coastal wetlands? Prairie potholes?
• How do birds sleep when they migrate? This Associated Press article is very suggestive.
• Are H5N1 bird flu or other diseases hurting the population of migrating birds in your area? Talk to wildlife biologists.
• What has the Trump administration done to strengthen or weaken the enforcement of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act?

Reporting resources:

• Cornell Lab: Cornell University’s Ornithology Laboratory is a treasured resource for anyone who wants to know more about birds.
• Merlin: This smartphone app goes anywhere with you and helps you identify birds, not only by their appearance but also by their songs and calls. Made by Cornell Lab. You need this app. Download it free here.
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: USFWS runs a fleet of some 570 wildlife refuges, many of which are rest stops for migrating birds. They often have interpretive staff or even bookstores.
• American Birding Association: Another membership association with local chapters. A good way to meet local birders.
• Local wildlife refuges: Beyond the national system, there are many state, local and private sector refuges which are open to the public. Talk to staff.
• State wildlife agencies: A good way to zero in on your particular area.
• Academic ornithology departments: The Wilson Ornithological Society has a nice list of serious ornithology programs.

For more about bird reporting, go to: TipSheets on how the simple backyard bird feeder can lift local environment reporting, and on declining bird populations, talking to birders and the problems of lead ammunition, plus a Reporter’s Toolbox on a bird migration explorer. Also, get the latest EJToday headlines about birds

Renee Good's death and the rural-urban divide

Many rural Minnesotas see the state's bigger cities as dangerous and 
'out of control.'

The shooting death of Renee Good by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis, Minn., sparked outrage among the state's urban residents and precautionary warnings from the state's more rural citizens. The fissure between the two creates a "story about America’s urban-rural divide," report Sheila M. Eldred, Elizabeth A. Stawicki, Ann Hinga Klein, and Kurt Streeter of The New York Times.

In Nisswa, a rural, red-voting Minnesota town roughly 150 miles North of Minneapolis, residents at the local pub,"Ye Old Pickle Factory," acknowledge the tragedy of Good's death but still point to the care U.S. citizens should take with law enforcement. The Times reports, “'You obey the law officer,' a man in a veteran’s ball cap said, 'and question it later.'"

"This is the divide, in a single sentence," the Times reports. "In Minneapolis, protesters saw an innocent woman killed by a federal agent and took to the streets. At 'the Pickle,' the regulars saw a woman who should have complied."

Location of Nisswa, Minn., left, Minneapolis, right

The responses to Good's death highlighted another common and increasing difference between rural and urban Americans, where rural residents "see the city as dangerous, out of control and something to flee," Eldred explains.

Rural residents in Minnesota and across the country often see big cities as epicenters of power and money that care little for rural residents. The Times reports, "This sense of alienation is not new. But in recent years it has become tightly bound to Republican partisanship."

Not all of rural Minnesotans see Good's death as a horrible, but justified death of a U.S. citizen by an ICE agent. Trever DePoppe from Pine City, Minn., considers himself an ICE supporter and solid Republican, told the Times, "I think it’s great to start to get some of the illegal immigrants out of the state, [but] I think it’s bad how they are going about it.”

Study: Gen Z journalists may be avoiding rural newsrooms

Some younger journalists worry that rural newsrooms
might be too conservative for them. (Adobe Stock photo)

Gen Z journalists may be steered away from rural newsrooms due to a lack of knowledge in jobs available, as well as concerns of salary, politics, social life and career advancement potential, according to a new study involving students in the United States and Canada.

To examine why students in their late teens to early 20s are not attracted to working in rural areas, journalism professor Teri Finneman of the University of Kansas and instructor Tyler Nagel of Southern Alberta Institute of Technology surveyed 183 of their local mass communication students to ask how they felt about the possibility of reporting in rural communities, writes Tandy Lau for E&P Magazine.

Shared below is a Q&A on why some students who were surveyed find reporting in rural areas to be unappealing and what newsrooms may be able to do to attract younger journalists.

Q: Why aren’t more journalist students aware of available jobs in rural areas?
A: Some journalism schools are only teaching their students about journalism at a national level and not providing the context of journalism at a rural level. Eighty percent of Kansas respondents said they had not been taught about rural journalism in their classes at all, so they didn’t know what jobs there are available.

Q: Why are students concerned about salary?
A: While rural newsrooms often have a lower cost of living, students still have financial concerns. The Kansas respondents said they face student debt while the Canadian respondents face a current housing crisis.

Q: Why might students be concerned about politics?
A: Kansas students, particularly those with diverse backgrounds, responded they fear not being welcomed in rural communities due to polarizing politics and rural areas leaning red.

Q: How can rural newsrooms combat concerns of a lack of social life and career advancement opportunities?
A: Communicating with young journalists still in school is key in opening rural opportunities for them. Modernizing job descriptions, communicating opportunities to grow into leadership roles, creating a network for young journalists to socialize, and incentivizing the possibility of taking over a rural paper are a few of the recommendations by Finneman and Nagel after conducting their study.