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Homegrown

Emily Stifler Wolfe

August 05, 2020 |

Montana Free Press |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Montana

Federal funding helped local food producers expand their operations to include processing plants which enables farmers to meet the demand of Montanans who sought an alternative to the empty grocery store shelves. The lack of processing plants has caused a bottleneck in the local food supply chain, a sore point which was amplified when the pandemic disrupted international supply chains, sending shoppers to their neighborhood farms. Small operators rarely have their own processing plants and must outsource that step in order to take their products to market.

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India's tribal farmers tap solar irrigation to cut migration

Soumya Sarkar

July 27, 2020 |

Thomson Reuters Foundation |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Jharkhand

New solar-powered irrigation systems in the Chotanagpur Plateau region in India are giving farmers more dependable water and allowing them to diversify their crops, allowing them to also grow their income. Many farmers from a local village used to migrate to other places to search for work, but a new irrigation system has allowed them to grow cauliflower for a competitive price. While the cost of buying and installing a solar-powered irrigation system can be high, this form of irrigation could be more climate-friendly and help stabilize crop production.

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Investors say agroforestry isn't just climate friendly — it's also profitable

Stephanie Hanes

July 08, 2020 |

Mongabay |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

With the growing trend in regenerative agriculture, Propagate Ventures is working with farmers to transition them from conventional agriculture to agroforestry. This technique focuses on incorporating trees into farmland which can improve soil health and crop production, and reduce carbon emissions. The company offers farmers help to build the system and connections to investor financing. While implementing an agroforestry system can take time, Propagate Ventures is seeing the interest grow: They’ve expanded to eight states and recently received $1.5 million in capital funding.

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In Migrant Worker Camps, Wifi Is a Basic Utility

Judy Bankman

July 08, 2020 |

The Daily Yonder |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Wasco County, Oregon

To expand wifi access during the coronavirus pandemic for those who work in the agricultural community and in migrant farmworker camps, the City of The Dalles partnered and collaborated with Google and other community businesses to purchase hot spots and Chromebooks for farmworkers to use. The hot spots don't work in all areas of the county, but in the orchards with cell service where they have been installed, they have been helping to provide access to telemedicine and educational services.

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“Fall-off-a-cliff moment”: Covid-19 adds new dimension to farmers' stress

Marissa Plescia

June 23, 2020 |

Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Minnesota

As the novel coronavirus disrupts how farmers get their products to consumers, many of them are looking for mental health resources to manage their stress. While the stigma of mental health issues prevents some farmers from seeking help, there are more outreach efforts across the United States to discuss the topic in the agriculture community. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has seen this year more website visitors to their page dedicated to farmers’ stress, so they are creating a helpline that farmers can reach through text and email.

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Turning manure into money

Jim Morrison Adam Glanzman

June 16, 2020 |

The Washington Post |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Massachusetts

Dairy farmers in Massachusetts are working with Vanguard Renewables, a food waste energy company, and Dominion Energy, an electric utility company, to capture manure methane gas from cows and convert it into natural gas. They are also adding food waste to the manure from manufacturers and retailers to increase energy output and increase income for farmers. The partnership has expanded to dairy farms in other states who are looking to lower their greenhouse gas emissions.

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Solar Power Fills Gaps in Underserviced Rural Argentina

Daniel Gutman

June 10, 2020 |

Inter Press Service News Agency |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Argentina, Entre Rios

Solar energy has provided an affordable and efficient source of energy to rural farmers in Argentina, who live too far off the electrical grid and have traditionally relied on powerful diesel-fueled water pumps. Solar panels have reduced carbon emissions, eliminated the need for expensive diesel fuel, as well as the hassle of transporting it to the countryside - often over rough roads. The initial investment in solar panels is recouped in a short amount of time and has resulted in a drastic reduction in water consumption.

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Small farms diversity to survive COVID-19, changing the face of Detroit markets

Kate Roff

June 05, 2020 |

edibleWOW |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

During the COVID-19 pandemic, small farmers in Michigan are coming up with different business models in order to get their produce into consumers’ hands. Fisheye Farms in Detroit created a community-supported agriculture, or CSA, subscription program. However, the program is only meeting approximately one-third of its necessary finances, and they hope to find a balance with other offerings. Argus Farm Stop in Ann Arbor quickly turned their online store into a popular digital farmers market, increasing its customers from eight to 2,500.

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Could paying farmers to store carbon help the climate and save farms?

Maddie Oatman

June 01, 2020 |

Mother Jones |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Indigo Agriculture, an ag-tech startup, is looking to pay farmers to draw carbon dioxide from the air and store it in the ground, which could help mitigate the effects of climate change and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Other companies that want to offset their own emissions can purchase credits on a carbon exchange. While the market hasn’t opened yet and some experts are skeptical about how much carbon the soil will absorb, Indigo Agriculture has signed up more than 5,000 farmers representing 19.8 million acres of land.

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Pakistan's solution to the locust invasion? Turn the pests into chicken feed

Rina Saeed Khan

May 28, 2020 |

Scroll.In |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Pakistan, Depalpur, Punjab

As locust swarms threaten crops in Pakistan, a pilot program offers farmers a way to get rid of the pests without using insecticides that harm the environment, while also earning money. Once farmers trap the locusts at night, the creatures are turned into high-protein chicken feed for animal feed mills. During the pilot project, farmers netted up to $125 for one night’s work and the community hauled an average of seven tonnes a night. While harvesting locusts works for some farming areas, it might not be as easy for farmers in desert areas who have to rely on chemical sprays offered by the government.

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