Civil Eats

JANUARY 8, 2024

For three years, Nathanael Gonzales-Siemens drove up California’s coast for 14 hours every month for a routine task: milling his grain into flour. “I We’ve got 150 acres of grain.” He found this disconcerting, not only for himself but the future of small-scale grain farming in California, once known for its golden hills of grain.

Grain 144

Grain Orchard Farming Farming 144

Food Tank

MARCH 19, 2025

Ben Brisbois reveals the less-palatable side of the banana industry, from devastating health impacts of pesticides to imperialism and ecological destruction. The Quinoa Bust explores the work that went into popularizing the ancient Andean grain and the new disasters that came with its popularity.

Food 119

Food Plantation Farming Farming 119

NASDA

MARCH 18, 2024

These challenges have greatly slowed agency regulatory functions, which in turn have delayed product registrations needed by growers and other users, as well as the implementation of new ecological and human health protections. million for the operations of EPA-OPP.

Pesticide 130

Pesticide Science Agriculture Agriculture 130

Civil Eats

MAY 15, 2024

Geological Survey’s Western Ecological Research Center. Casazza and other wildlife scientists have documented waterfowl using agricultural facilities—from foraging for grain in feedlots to roosting in effluent ponds—but questions remain about why the birds seek out the facilities and the potential connections to the spread of avian flu.

Poultry 144

Poultry Cattle Agriculture Agriculture 144

The Equation

MAY 11, 2023

When soil erosion and climate change collide We’ve all seen grainy historical photos of the Dust Bowl of the 1930s —a nearly decade-long confluence of recurring severe droughts, poor farming practices, and plummeting grain prices that devastated much of the Great Plains and drove the largest migration in US history.

Agriculture 131

Agriculture Agriculture Fertilizer Plowing 131

Civil Eats

JULY 24, 2023

Ethan Duvall, a graduate student in ecology and evolutionary biology at Cornell University, wanted to find out how Washington dairy farmers feel about the eagles that swarm their fields each winter. But eagles and other raptors have not always been welcomed by farmers. Steensma said. It’s one of the major [wildlife] conflicts here.”

Ecology 98

Ecology Farming Farming Livestock 98

Modern Farmer

FEBRUARY 13, 2024

They ate grains that couldn’t be sold.” Photos courtesy of Wendy Johnson) The sheep were getting sick from eating too much grain, so Johnson worked to reestablish a natural savanna, a mixed woodland and grassland ecosystem that had once been prevalent on Iowa’s landscape but was destroyed by grazing and row crops. Johnson laughs.

Acre 126

Acre Farming Farming Pasture 126

The Lunatic Farmer

NOVEMBER 1, 2022

Without getting into the health tradeoffs, let’s think about the ecological tradeoffs. Switching to grass-based (not grain based) cow’s milk could be one of the most ecologically-friendly decisions you could make right now. Most almonds don’t go into candy bars or bags to be eaten whole. Almonds only grow in hot areas.

Ecology 52

Ecology Farmland Fertilizer Acre 52

Food Tank

OCTOBER 7, 2023

Consumers often don’t think about the potato peels, cheese whey, or the brewer’s spent grain left over from their production. “Brewer’s spent grain retains a substantial number of proteins and fibers,” explains Maarten, noting that these components used as new ingredients for food products such as pasta and bread. .

Food 64

Food Production Grain Technology 64

The Lunatic Farmer

FEBRUARY 20, 2023

As soon as the lambs can quit drinking milk replacer, they go on grain to grow as fast as possible. The ewes get hay and grain too to keep their body condition up and make them cycle fast for rebreeding. The equipment and fuel necessary to make the hay, transport it, feed it, dispense grain and even grind hay is significant. `

Grain 52

Grain Manure Pasture Acre 52

Sustainable Food Trust

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

In the early 19th century, hay and grain would have still been hand cut by an army of people using scythes. We’ve managed to make food much more affordable by mechanising, but in doing so, it’s become ecologically expensive. Machines replaced humans in the countryside a long time ago.

Agriculture 98

Agriculture Agriculture Tractor Technology 98

Modern Farmer

OCTOBER 13, 2023

From 2014 to 2021, Minnesota farmer James Wolf raised organic soybeans, corn and wheat, selling the grains to farmers across the midwest, both for seed and animal feed. Selling organic grain allowed Wolf to make more money than selling conventional grain—a lot more money. Photo: Shutterstock What is organic, anyway?

Food 100

Food Supply Chain Farming Farming 100

Modern Farmer

OCTOBER 16, 2023

First, it must be distilled in the United States, and it must be a grain mixture with at least 51 percent corn mash. Founder Colby Frey likes to call himself a “whiskey farmer,” because all of the grain used in Frey’s bourbon is grown on-site at the ranch. But it’s also incredibly important ecologically.

Ranching 140

Ranching Acre Forestry Processing 140

RR2CS

APRIL 18, 2022

They’ve adapted an integrated approach to land management, practicing rotational grazing to improve the quality and biodiversity of the soil, which in turn has provided fertilized soils for growing grain and forage crops. When we can introduce cattle to that grain land, it really makes a big improvement,” explains Rod. “It

Ranching 52

Ranching Cattle Pasture Family Farming 52

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

JULY 14, 2023

However, as with all social-ecological systems , change in any part of the system necessarily requires or causes change in other parts of the system. Who manages land determines which scientific perspectives, crop choices, traditions, and skills shape the landscape, with profound implications for its ecological sustainability.

Agriculture 87

Agriculture Agriculture Crop Rotation Pasture 87

UnderstandingAg

OCTOBER 29, 2023

Flail mow and direct seed with a grain drill – This is the best method in a larger-scale commercial garden (1+ acre). Additional resources: The Living Soil Handbook, The No-Till Grower’s Guide to Ecological Market Gardening The post Regenerative Gardening, No-Till Winter Cover Crop Strategies appeared first on Understanding Ag.

Crop 105

Crop Cash Crop Seeding Harvest 105

Modern Farmer

JANUARY 9, 2024

Anyone who’s spent time in Mexico can report firsthand on the country’s deep reverence for corn, that infinitely versatile and nutritive grain that forms the base of the country’s daily bread, the tortilla, as well as a multitude of other traditional foods. A kaleidoscope of native corn varieties, plus colorful beans in a range of shades.

Crop 112

Crop Plantation Seeding Agriculture 112

Daily Yonder

APRIL 3, 2024

Permaculture means that gardeners work with existing ecological conditions in a specific place. Permaculture is a term for “permanent agriculture”; it’s an example of GLC’s mission to establish environmentally sustainable practices in agriculture. So Grayson LandCare was happy to help this member estalish an orchard.”

Ruralism 73

Ruralism Textiles Orchard Food 73

Sustainable Food Trust

JANUARY 17, 2024

In its place, ‘agroecology’ was more explicitly recognised as a broad moniker for a range of practices that are grounded in biological / ecological farming; this has made the term more distinct in its definition. Kumar calls for “a new trinity for an age of ecology which has wholeness, integrity and cohesion”.

Agroecology 78

Agroecology Food Livestock Farming 78

Caff

APRIL 22, 2021

This Earth Day, CAFF is proud to endorse this bill on behalf of our members as part of the solution to the climate crisis, recognizing the invaluable role that ecologically-focused farmers and ranchers can play.

Agriculture 52

Agriculture Agriculture Manure Compost 52

The Lunatic Farmer

JANUARY 15, 2024

As a renowned environmentalist, his cattle farm coupled with ornithology give him unique authenticity in the ecology-farming debate. All grass farmers are mavericks because we go against the grain (pun intended) of orthodoxy, from lower chemical use to pastured livestock. Why would he speak at an SGF gathering?

Pasture 71

Pasture Ranching Cattle Food 71

Civil Eats

APRIL 3, 2024

The port also handles imports and exports of commodity grains, coffee, and farm equipment. Now, the sugar refinery is one of many food and agriculture companies that will likely be impacted by last week’s collapse of the Key Bridge, which shut down the shipping channel that leads to the city’s busy port.

Farming 144

Farming Farming Food Greenhouse 144

The Equation

MAY 15, 2023

While a small number of winter crops such as small grains (wheat, oats, barley) and forage and pasture crops such as alfalfa can use some winter rain and snow, western agriculture largely depends on a steady supply of irrigated water that has led to extreme groundwater mining. Agriculture is the largest user of water in the western states.

Industrial Agriculture 96

Industrial Agriculture Crop Agriculture Agriculture 96

RR2CS

APRIL 18, 2022

We decided to call the farm ‘Redtail Farms’ as an ode to my father and his love for birds and ecology — and the way he farmed as closely with nature as he could,” says Griebel. They are committed to farming with nature, not against it, and restoring the natural grassland ecology. A few years later, he passed away. “We

Farming 52

Farming Farming Food Pasture 52

Agritecture Blog

MARCH 30, 2023

It started with a post-war boom of generous government subsidies favoring overproduction , which coupled with advances in hybrid crops and synthetic inputs, meant farmers focused on just a select few staple grain crops. Of the more than 200,000 edible plant species , people today rely on just 15 for almost all of their regular food intake.

Supply Chain 52

Supply Chain Food Distribution Marketing 52

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

AUGUST 28, 2024

Turning back to the CIG program, the FFNSA adds “perennial production systems, including agroforestry and perennial forages and grain crops” to the scope of CIG On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials. NSAC calls on the House and Senate to include the bipartisan COWS Act provisions in a final farm bill.

Farming 83

Farming Farming Agriculture Agriculture 83

RR2CS

NOVEMBER 18, 2021

The carbon is being used by the microbes—the ecology of the soil—to do all things: build organic matter, soil structure, increase infiltration, and feed life.” Many cattle ranchers were forced to sell animals and import hay, while grain farmers suffered major crop losses. “We

Ranching 52

Ranching Cattle Crop Acre 52

CalCAN

APRIL 6, 2023

Holistic land management that builds diversity of crops and livestock , adds perennials in the form of agroforestry and deep-rooted perennial grasses like grains, keeps the soil covered and living roots in the ground , and integrates livestock into the landscape all represent highly effective climate and agriculture solutions.

Agriculture 52

Agriculture Agriculture Greenhouse Food 52

Food Environment and Reporting Network

MARCH 27, 2024

They can supplement their cows’ diets with grain (an expensive remedy), or cut and dry their fescue and feed it to them as hay, which reduces its toxicity somewhat. To understand the fescue-native debate requires an understanding of the ecological tradeoff between warm- and cool-season grasses.

Ranching 111

Ranching Pasture Forage Cattle 111

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

OCTOBER 6, 2023

CSP pays producers to improve, maintain, and actively manage conservation activities already in place at the time of application and to adopt new conservation activities during the life of the five-year contract.

Crop Rotation 93

Crop Rotation Forage Pasture Crop 93

Sustainable Food Trust

JUNE 28, 2023

But as we understand ecological systems better, we have come to realise that, while they can be very resilient, at some level of degradation they reach tipping points at which they flip into new states far less conducive to human life. Our cattle are outside all year, and we don’t feed any grain.

Farming 52

Farming Farming Food Cattle 52

RR2CS

DECEMBER 9, 2021

The land had been used for conventional grain for decades, and as a result, some of his first crops were outcompeted by wild oats. It’s not just the sustainable ecology, but the sustainable economic and society,” Ryan points out. He also had to upgrade water pumps, as well. Ryan also faced challenges related to soil and weed pressures.

Ruralism 52

Ruralism Agriculture Agriculture Food 52

RR2CS

MARCH 8, 2022

Many of our neighbours who have larger farms — grain and cattle — they’ve had to sell out and move because of flood years, drought years, and this increasingly warming trend we’re seeing.” I think if we hadn’t been a small farm, we wouldn’t still be here,” admits Jenna.

Farming 52

Farming Farming Forage Seeding 52

Civil Eats

DECEMBER 3, 2024

Prioritizing ecological integrity and community health over yield, these farmers stay profitable by diversifying their crops, producing value-added products like jams and sauces, and building community support and social capital. If you want to suggest a book we missed, please let us know in the comments.

Food 137

Food Farming Farming Agriculture 137

NASDA

APRIL 1, 2025

Sincerely, 2Blades agInnovation North Central Agricultural & Applied Economics Association Agricultural Utilization Research Institute American Association of Mycobacterial Diseases American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges American Institute of Biological Sciences American Malting Barley Association American Meat Science Association (..)

Agriculture 130

Agriculture Agriculture Science Rural Development 130

NASDA

APRIL 1, 2025

Sincerely, 2Blades agInnovation North Central Agricultural & Applied Economics Association Agricultural Utilization Research Institute American Association of Mycobacterial Diseases American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges American Institute of Biological Sciences American Malting Barley Association American Meat Science Association (..)

Agriculture 130

Agriculture Agriculture Science Rural Development 130

Civil Eats

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

He planted wheat and other grains directly into the meadows and relied solely on rainfall for much of his acreage. Irrigated crops receive higher payouts than dryland crops, while farmers often risk their coverage to engage in some of the most ecologically sound practices. It soon proved worth it.

Crop 145

Crop Yield Farming Farming 145