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How women in Iowa are leading farmland conservation efforts

Mark Bittman Melanie Saltzman

March 07, 2020 |

PBS NewsHour |

Broadcast TV Programs |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Iowa

A group of women called The Women, Food and Agriculture Network was founded in 1998 in Iowa to educate female landowners about land conservation and implementing sustainable practices on their farms. The group has held more than 250 meetings since 2009, reaching more than 3,800 women landowners—and their surveys find that after a one-day session, 50-70% of the women go on to take an action to improve conservation on their property. Longterm, this group empowers women to play a bigger role in the future of agriculture in the state.

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Against the grain: why millet is making a comeback in rural India

Anne Pinto-Rodrigues

February 25, 2020 |

The Guardian |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Kohima, Nagaland

By reviving millet farming, farming communities are adapting to climate change. In India, the Millet Farmers Group, organized by a women’s rights nonprofit, the North East Network (NEN), helps farmers cultivate millet, an ancient grain that is less water-intensive than white rice. NEN Nagaland helps farmers from around the Nagaland district share knowledge about growing millet and obtain the necessary machinery to dehusk the grain.

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Struggling Wisconsin dairy farmers building a future with hazelnuts, specialty milk, goats and creative thinking

Rick Barrett

February 18, 2020 |

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Wisconsin

Facing environmental issues, changing consumer tastes, corporate mega-farms, and more, small dairy farmers in Wisconsin are quickly adapting their business models to stay afloat. This article looks at a number of solutions that farmers have taken across the state, such as switching to goat milk, growing hazelnuts, renting out barns, or even changing products entirely to wine or olive oil. All of the solutions show that dairy farmers have to be creative and adaptable in order to keep up with the future of farming.

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How a Beloved Bird Is Helping Save the Chesapeake Bay

Libby Sander

February 18, 2020 |

Hakai Magazine |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chesapeake, Maryland

The Natural Lands Project works with local landowners to turn hundreds of hectares of marginal croplands into native grasslands. The grasses offer refuge for the northern bobwhite quail and grip the soil, which helps prevent erosion and keeps agricultural runoff and sediment out of the Chesapeake Bay. The quail population has grown to 450, a 39% increase from 20 years ago. The project works with landowners to convert small parcels of their land for the habitat. The landowners receive a small payment and help planting and maintaining the native vegetation. Many species have flourished in the new habitat.

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How Is Plastic Getting Into Hawaii's Soil?

Claire Caulfield

February 10, 2020 |

Honolulu Civil Beat |

Multi-Media |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Hawaii

Hawaiian farmers are increasingly concerned about the amount of plastic they’re finding in their compost, which can have long-term effects on their crop growth. Hawaii Earth Recycling, the island’s largest compost provider, turns more than 140,000 tons of yard clippings and food scraps into compost and mulch that farmers can use for plants and crops. However, changes in where people can drop off their green waste and a lack of education among residents about proper plastic waste management have resulted in microplastics ending up in the organic soil.

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Can charcoal make beef better for the environment?

Mikki Cusack

February 06, 2020 |

BBC |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Australia, Manjimup

An unusual mixture of biochar — a charcoal-like substance that is produced by burning organic matter — and dung beetles is one way farmers could reduce their cows’ methane emissions to combat climate change, while also improving the health of their soil. Studies on Doug Pow’s farm in Australia have shown an improvement in soil-water retention and an increase in the amount of carbon retained in the soil, which prevents it from escaping into the atmosphere. “We are doing our bit to re-engineer the soil in a positive way, for the long-term benefits of our world,” Pow says.

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Young farmers apply ancient agroforestry practices in the heart of Sardinia

Monica Pelliccia

January 29, 2020 |

Mongabay |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Italy, Desulo, Sardinia

Sardinia's vast forests are seeing the comeback of an ancient farming practice known as silvopasture which has potential as a climate solution. The ancient technique combines trees with forage plants and livestock and even results in uniquely flavored cheese. The technique has also kept people from leaving the countryside in search of jobs, allowing the next generation to carry on the family business while simultaneously combatting climate change.

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Dogs are helping save Florida's citrus groves from a devastating disease

Duncan Strauss

January 14, 2020 |

The Washington Post |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Perry, Florida

Dogs can detect plant disease earlier than visual inspection and faster than lab testing. In Florida, dogs are helping farmers detect Huanglongbing (HLB), a bacterium with devastating consequences for the citrus fruit industry in the state. So far, HLB has decimated the citrus industry. With their sense of smell, the dogs offer an important tool for farmers who are struggling to stay ahead of infection.

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Drone on the range: Farmers take to the skies to save water and money

Miles Wilson

December 31, 2019 |

Cronkite News - Arizona PBS |

Broadcast TV News |

Under 3 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Maricopa, Arizona

In Arizona, the use of drones as farming technology is gaining traction. While still in the early stages, drones have shown to help with field mapping and data collection on things like crop conditions, water quality, and infestations. In an area that has been experiencing a 2-decade drought, these drones are able to help identify more precisely the water needed for soil.

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Saving Florida's Oranges Starts With Soil

Monica Humphries

December 31, 2019 |

NationSwell |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Sarasota, Florida

Healthy soil promotes plant growth and sequesters carbon from the atmosphere. To help the declining citrus industry in Florida, Locus Agricultural Solutions developed a combination of microbes to promote plant growth. The microbial additive, Rhizolizer, while originally intended to combat citrus greening, also provides benefits in terms of carbon absorption.

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