Rural / Public News Service

In 2024, the National Chicken Council estimated per capita consumption of chicken in the U.S. was 104 pounds. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, March 24, 2025

Something to crow about: Technology reduces male chick culling in IN

By Grace Hussain for Sentient.Broadcast version by Terri Dee for Indiana News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration Eg…

According to the 2025 Conservation in the West poll, 65% of Western voters oppose giving state governments control over national public lands. That's up from 56% in 2017. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, March 24, 2025

Opponent calls MT resolution 'slap in the face' to public land owners

Months after the nation's highest court declined to hear a Utah case about ownership of public lands, a Montana House committee will debate whether …

New Mexico's highways are hazardous when dust storms called

Monday, March 24, 2025

NOAA employee cuts could curb forecasts of NM 'haboobs'

One of many federal agencies facing cuts by the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adm…

Monday, March 24, 2025

WI nonprofit creates song to interest younger kids in soil science

A local nonprofit with a mission to advance regenerative agriculture is hoping its new video can open up an untapped world of science to a younger aud…

Among other efforts, NOAA has been leading the charge in mapping the bottom of the Great Lakes to improve navigation safety, understand the impact of climate change, locate pipelines and identify fisheries and shipwrecks. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, March 21, 2025

Potential NOAA cuts could put WI weather warnings on ice

One of many federal agencies facing cuts by the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adm…

Between 2010 and 2018, Ohio's nonmetropolitan areas experienced a 7.6% job growth-nearly 10 times the national average for rural regions.(Adobe Stock)

Friday, March 21, 2025

Ohio's rural Gen Z faces job dilemma: Will talent stay or go?

New research indicated less than half of rural Gen Zers believe they can find a good job in their communities. Despite Ohio's predominantly rural …

When looking for job training, 74% of urban Gen Zers strongly agree or agree that they could access the training they would need, compared with 62% of rural Gen Zers, according to Gallup. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, March 21, 2025

Limited opportunity pushes young, rural Marylanders out of town

New research suggests fewer than half of rural Gen Zers believe they can find a good job to keep them in their communities. According to U.S…

As part of the Trump administration's budget-cutting moves, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has eliminated $1 billion in programs connecting local producers with food banks and school lunch programs. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, March 21, 2025

USDA cuts could halt progress of SD local food scene

South Dakota farmers leading the "locally grown" movement have visions of a dynamic regional food production system but some of it is in doubt with lo…

The most common NOAA warnings in Illinois are for severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, flooding and winter weather, especially during the spring and fall seasons. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, March 21, 2025

Potential NOAA cuts spell trouble for IL weather warnings

One of many federal agencies facing cuts by the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adm…

Engelbrecht Farm in Waverly, Iowa, uses insects to keep pests at bay, improve soil health and increase pollination. (Engelbrecht Farm)

Iowa farmers 'plant good insects' to fight pests

The organization Practical Farmers of Iowa is helping urban crop growers use beneficial insects to control pests, boost soil health and increase …

Privatization of the USPS requires a Congressional Act that is signed into law by the President. (Matt Gush / Adobe Stock)

Arizona rallies protest possible U.S. Postal Service reforms

Rallies in Tucson and Phoenix are taking place today opposing the Trump administration's potential decision to privatize the U.S. Postal Service…

The U.S. Postal Service provides critical services to many communities, such as delivering election ballots, medicine, taxes, government distributions and notices. (Colleen Michaels/Adobe Stock)

Rallies in NV set to protest possible U.S. Postal Service changes

Rallies in Las Vegas, Reno and Carson City are taking place today opposing the Trump administration's potential decision to privatize the U.S…

Lawmakers remain divided on how to address the U.S. Postal Service's financial crisis, with some advocating for government aid and others pushing for structural reforms. (Red Lemon/Adobe Stock)

MI postal workers join national 'Day of Action' to fight USPS privatization

Today, Michigan postal workers join colleagues nationwide, rallying to protect union jobs, and oppose postal privatization. With the theme "U.S. Mail…

Rural residents depend on the U.S. Postal Service for deliveries of medications, bills and other critical items. Service reductions could hinder access to necessities. (MargJohnsonVA/Adobe Stock)

MO postal workers unite in national fight against USPS privatization

Under the theme. "U.S. Mail, Not for Sale," Missouri postal workers are joining thousands nationwide, rallying to protect union jobs and oppose …

The national Beef Checkoff program generates an estimated $3.3 billion for the beef industry annually, according to the Cattleman's Beef Board. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa farmers push back on agriculture checkoff cuts

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration …

Some 557 Colorado schools serving more than 206,293 students are projected to be affected by a proposed $12 billion in cuts to federal school meal funding. (Adobe Stock)

Blowback on GOP's proposed cuts to school meal programs

Children's advocates are crying foul after House Republicans called for $12 billion in cuts to school meal programs, including the Community …

The Department of Education has reduced its workforce by nearly 50%, laying off approximately 1,300 employees, with an additional 600 either accepting separation packages or being dismissed during their probationary period. (Photo courtesy of OEA)

Ohio educators alarmed over proposed elimination of DOE

The potential dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education has sparked concern in Ohio. Threatened moves by the Trump administration's so-called …

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have recently come under scrutiny for not doing more to enforce factory farm manure discharge permits. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa slaughterhouse faces water pollution lawsuit

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration In …

Agriculture trade groups want to see a rollback of federal environmental regulations on the meatpacking industry, along with fewer worker protections and food safety measures. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska meatpackers call on feds to deregulate industry

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Nebraska News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service …

Aquaculture, particularly aquaponics, can improve food security by providing locally grown, fresh and nutritious food in food deserts. (Adobe Stock/B.Rath Photography)

Expanding NM's aquaculture-based fish farming could improve food security

New Mexico may never be a leader in aquaculture but some fish farmers are finding success in the arid state. Rossana Sallenave, professor and …

When looking for job training, 74% of urban Gen Zers strongly agree or agree that they could access the needed training, compared with 62% of rural Gen Zers, according to Gallup. (Adobe Stock)

Data: Lack of opportunity pushes rural Gen Zers in AZ out of their communities

New research finds that less than half of rural Gen Zers believe they can find a good job in their communities. According to U.S. Census data…

Around 55% of parents of young rural Gen Zers believe their child can accomplish their long-term goals in their current area, compared with 81% of urban parents who have a young Gen Z child, according to Gallup. (Adobe Stock)

Many NV rural Gen Zers forced to seek educational, professional paths elsewhere

New research finds that less than half of rural Gen Zers believe they can find a good job in their communities. Most Nevadans live in the state's …

Federal agencies are ramping up efforts to contain avian flu, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture rolling out a $1 billion plan focused on biosecurity, financial relief for affected producers and research into possible vaccines for poultry. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio leads nation in bird flu cases, consumers face rising costs

A Food and Water Watch report claims Ohio egg producers are profiting from the bird flu outbreak. Ohio, a top egg producer, has lost nearly 15 …

Among the 5,722 companies in Colorado exporting goods to Canada and Mexico in 2022, the number one manufactured export was food. (Adobe Stock)

After USDA funding freeze, Colorado farmers brace for tariffs

Colorado farmers and ranchers are feeling frustrated and concerned since the Trump administration froze U.S. Department of Agriculture funding…

Fewer than 40% of rural youth said they are confident they can find an internship, compared to more than half of their urban peers. (JustLife/Adobe Stock)

Study: Rural OR youth often need to leave hometown to find jobs

New data show fewer than half of rural Gen Z'ers believe they can find a good job in their community, compared to nearly 70% of their urban peers…

The USDA reported one of seven households in America struggled with hunger in 2023. (Adobe Stock)<br />

SNAP cuts could wreak havoc on West Virginia’s economy

The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is on the chopping block in Congress. A House budget resolution would cut $30 billion in SNAP …

Arizona's 13 mostly rural counties are viewed as conservative and Republican-leaning but in Santa Cruz County with a mostly Latino population and Apache County with a mostly Native American population, registered Democrats outnumber Republicans. (Adobe Stock)

Rural, working-class Arizonans feel forgotten. Democrats need to wake up

A coalition of rural, progressive Democratic organizations is urging the new chair of the national party to invest more in rural and working-class …

Senate Bill 183 would require landowners or renters to maintain a 55-foot

Indiana safety bill stuck in weeds

Indiana lawmakers paused action this week on a bill which aims to prevent crashes caused by dangerously overgrown rural intersections after concerns a…

Could USDA funding freeze, trade wars spell trouble for UT farmers?

Utah farmers and ranchers are feeling frustrated and concerned since the U.S. Department of Agriculture funding freeze has threatened some of their …

In Pennsylvania over the past two years, tax credits have helped launch construction on 2,000 new homes and apartments, and facilitated repairs for an additional 3,200 housing units. (Tupungato/Adobe Stock)

$50 million 'whole home repair' funding may address PA housing crisis

Gov. Josh Shapiro's budget includes a $50 million investment for repairs to older homes. A grassroots group supports the idea but said the dollar …

Farm groups said agricultural property owners pay more than half the property taxes in 30 North Dakota counties. Their arguments come as state lawmakers try to finalize a property tax relief package to help all parts of the state. (Adobe Stock)

Fairness at heart of ND property tax debate

It is the North Dakota Senate's turn to ramp up debate on property tax reform, a key issue of this session and lawmakers are hearing from a range of …

Nationally, the average cost of a dozen large eggs was $4.15 in December, up from $3.65 in November, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Nitr/Adobe Stock)

Report: Bird flu not cause of rising egg prices in TX

A new report by the group Food and Water Watch said egg companies are exploiting the bird flu outbreak for profit. On average, the price of a dozen …

From data centers to clean-energy projects to factory farms, rural communities are being asked to shoulder a number of key projects factoring into how society functions, potentially leading to a major dynamic shift in how local residents organize their response. (Adobe Stock)

Power of rural organizing reflected in SD carbon pipeline law

The future of a big carbon capture project in the Midwest was thrown off balance after a new South Dakota law was adopted. Rural property owners made …

Conservation experts would like to see more farms use drip or sprinkler systems, which are more efficient than flooding for irrigation. (Deyan Georgiev/Adobe Stock)

Agriculture, especially cattle feed, uses most of Earth’s freshwater

By Gabriella Sotelo for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collab…

The Montana Food Bank Network distributed food through 330 partner organizations in 2024, including food pantries, schools, senior centers and more, according to the organization's impact report. (West Rose Media/Adobe Stock)

MT food bank, neighbors collaborate to improve food access for tribal nations

Food bank organizations teamed up in four states, including Montana, to launch the 104 Degrees West Collaborative in 2021 to better serve their …

The majority of human H5N1 cases have been found on the West Coast but have been reported in the Midwest and on the East Coast as well. Researchers are monitoring the virus thorough wastewater tracking, direct testing of at-risk people and those with symptoms and randomized sample testing. (Adobe Stock)

Barriers to tracking bird flu mount amid federal changes

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service …

Farmers unions and agricultural advocacy groups are calling on Congress to push the U.S. Department of Agriculture to immediately release all frozen funds. (Adobe Stock)

Southern farmers grapple with uncertainty of USDA funding freeze, layoffs

Florida farmers face mounting uncertainty as a federal funding freeze and layoffs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture have disrupted some of the …

It is estimated climate change could increase New Mexico's average temperature by up to 7 degrees over the next 50 years. (rd.usda.gov)

NM farm tackles climate change one freeze-dried apple at a time

New Mexico is one of five U.S. states that frequently encounters exceptional drought that can damage crops but one farmer is doing her part to reduce …

The Food Bank of Wyoming served people across 97,903 square miles and in all 23 counties in 2024, according to the organization's impact report. (Adobe Stock)

Four-state collaborative seeks to improve food access in Native nations

Food-bank organizations teamed up in four states, including Wyoming, to launch the 104° West Collaborative in 2021 to better serve their …

During the Great Depression, the U.S. enacted the

Data, history show mass deportations harm U.S. economy

As nationwide deportation efforts continue, new research examined the labor market of a past president to help forecast what could happen if …

Research: Mass deportations don't create more U.S. jobs

As nationwide deportation efforts continue, new research examined the labor market of a past president to help forecast what could happen if …

Farmers unions and other ag-related advocacy groups are urging Congress to get the U.S. Department of Agriculture to release all frozen funds immediately. (Adobe Stock)

Mid-South farmers grapple with uncertainty of USDA funding freeze, layoffs

Mississippi farmers face mounting uncertainty as a federal funding freeze and layoffs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture have disrupted some of …

The Universal Service Fund, currently before the U.S. Supreme Court, provided more than $4 billion to carriers nationwide in 2023 to connect households in the nation's most rural communities. (Adobe Stock)

SCOTUS to decide future of fund seen as lifeline for rural broadband

Later this month, on March 26, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case that challenges the constitutionality of a federal fund that aids …

The likelihood of exposure to H5N1 is higher among people consuming raw, unpasteurized milk from infected animals, although the chance of people contracting H5N1 from consuming raw milk is not clear at this time, according to the CDC. (Adobe Stock)

Experts worry as zoonotic disease research is reviewed by Trump admin

By Grey Moran for Sentient.Broadcast version by Alex Gonzalez for Arizona News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration…

Nearly a third of working-age Washington households have earnings which do not meet the minimum<br />cost of living. (Johannes/Adobe Stock)

Bills aim to revamp WA's regressive tax codes

A package of legislation in Olympia aims to reduce growing wealth inequality by reforming Washington's tax code. With the nation's second-most …

The current avian flu outbreak surfaced in 2022, with a big effect on wild birds and commercial poultry. (Adobe Stock)

New avian flu plan hatched by USDA, but experts are wary

By Dawn Attride for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Minnesota News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration…

FL advocates push back against corporate dominance in agriculture

Advocates for small independent farmers and ranchers in Florida are sounding the alarm about the effects of corporate agriculture on their land and lo…

Around seven in 10 Democrats expect the affordability of health care, food and consumer goods, and housing to worsen over the next year, according to the Pew Research Center. (Adobe Stock)

Democrats make calls to invest in rural, working-class communities in NV

A coalition of rural, progressive Democratic organizations is urging the new chair of the national party to invest more in rural and working-class …

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Rural

Something to crow about: Technology reduces male chick culling in IN

Opponent calls MT resolution 'slap in the face' to public land owners

NOAA employee cuts could curb forecasts of NM 'haboobs'

WI nonprofit creates song to interest younger kids in soil science

Potential NOAA cuts could put WI weather warnings on ice

Ohio's rural Gen Z faces job dilemma: Will talent stay or go?

Limited opportunity pushes young, rural Marylanders out of town

USDA cuts could halt progress of SD local food scene

Potential NOAA cuts spell trouble for IL weather warnings

Iowa farmers 'plant good insects' to fight pests

Arizona rallies protest possible U.S. Postal Service reforms

Rallies in NV set to protest possible U.S. Postal Service changes

MI postal workers join national 'Day of Action' to fight USPS privatization

MO postal workers unite in national fight against USPS privatization

Iowa farmers push back on agriculture checkoff cuts

Blowback on GOP's proposed cuts to school meal programs

Ohio educators alarmed over proposed elimination of DOE

Iowa slaughterhouse faces water pollution lawsuit

Nebraska meatpackers call on feds to deregulate industry

Expanding NM's aquaculture-based fish farming could improve food security

Data: Lack of opportunity pushes rural Gen Zers in AZ out of their communities

Many NV rural Gen Zers forced to seek educational, professional paths elsewhere

Ohio leads nation in bird flu cases, consumers face rising costs

After USDA funding freeze, Colorado farmers brace for tariffs

Study: Rural OR youth often need to leave hometown to find jobs

SNAP cuts could wreak havoc on West Virginia’s economy

Rural, working-class Arizonans feel forgotten. Democrats need to wake up

Indiana safety bill stuck in weeds

Could USDA funding freeze, trade wars spell trouble for UT farmers?

$50 million 'whole home repair' funding may address PA housing crisis

Fairness at heart of ND property tax debate

Report: Bird flu not cause of rising egg prices in TX

Power of rural organizing reflected in SD carbon pipeline law

Agriculture, especially cattle feed, uses most of Earth’s freshwater

MT food bank, neighbors collaborate to improve food access for tribal nations

Barriers to tracking bird flu mount amid federal changes

Southern farmers grapple with uncertainty of USDA funding freeze, layoffs

NM farm tackles climate change one freeze-dried apple at a time

Four-state collaborative seeks to improve food access in Native nations

Data, history show mass deportations harm U.S. economy

Research: Mass deportations don't create more U.S. jobs

Mid-South farmers grapple with uncertainty of USDA funding freeze, layoffs

SCOTUS to decide future of fund seen as lifeline for rural broadband

Experts worry as zoonotic disease research is reviewed by Trump admin

Bills aim to revamp WA's regressive tax codes

New avian flu plan hatched by USDA, but experts are wary

FL advocates push back against corporate dominance in agriculture

Democrats make calls to invest in rural, working-class communities in NV