A feature on CNN highlighted native fruits that could offer improved resilience for backyard growers and farmers alike. Individual growers and research organizations are both exploring native crops such as pawpaws, persimmons, beach plums, sand cherries, and aronia. They are finding native plants resilient to extreme weather and better able to withstand pests and diseases. […]

The Michigan Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) hosted a three-part webinar series on organic certification that is now available online to access at any time. In the first webinar, “What is organic?” Ryan Romeyn of Providence Organic Farm shares his certification experience, including a detailed look at his farm recordkeeping systems, and Katie Brandt […]

The Center for Rural Affairs released Crop Insurance 101, a series of resources designed to introduce agricultural producers to crop insurance. The publication “Weathering the Unpredictable: The Protection Crop Insurance Provides” describes common perils that can result in losses, as well as which crop insurance policies cover each type of loss. The series continues with […]

A study led by researchers at Penn State and published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that the essential nutrient phosphorus is increasingly disappearing from land as it is washed into waterways throughout the United States. The study analyzed data from 430 U.S. rivers and found that phosphorus loss from agricultural lands […]

Livestock producers and researchers in California are exploring the potential of virtual fence for livestock grazing. The technology utilizes GPS-enabled collars to monitor animal locations in real time. The collars provide audio and tactile cues to contain animals within a perimeter set by a producer using a laptop or smartphone application. Field trials showed that […]