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Agriculture

Swarms of locusts continue to plague large swaths of Africa, Asia

Swarms of locusts continue to plague large swaths of Africa, Asia

Titanic swarms of desert locusts resembling dark storm clouds are descending ravenously on the Horn of Africa. They're roving through croplands and flattening farms in a devastating salvo experts are calling an unprecedented threat to food security.
by Pranav Baskar

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Pressure eases on farmers to destroy hogs as meatpacking operations restart

Pressure eases on farmers to destroy hogs as meatpacking operations restart

When COVID-19 infections forced pork companies to close processing plants, some farmers predicted that it would force them to euthanize millions of hogs. The actual number has been much lower.
by Dan Charles

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Pandemic disruptions taking a toll on farmers' mental health

Pandemic disruptions taking a toll on farmers' mental health

Plant backlogs caused by the pandemic are forcing farmers to destroy their products instead of shipping them to market. The situation is heaping more stress on farmers.
by Alisa Roth

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Is it a farm or a sculpture park? Both

Is it a farm or a sculpture park? Both

Fresh produce meets the arts in a planned north Minneapolis installation.
by Euan Kerr

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USDA secretary says despite plant closures, he does not anticipate food shortages

USDA secretary says despite plant closures, he does not anticipate food shortages

Sonny Perdue says he expects "85-90 percent production in probably a very few days or weeks." He also says the government is stepping up efforts to buy food from farmers and distribute it to families.
by Steve Inskeep

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As food supply chain breaks down, farm-to-door CSAs take off

As food supply chain breaks down, farm-to-door CSAs take off

Community Supported Agriculture programs that sell a weekly box of produce directly to consumers are popular amid concerns about grocery shopping during the pandemic.
by Eric Westervelt

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Processing plant closures put spotlight on ag supply chain

Processing plant closures put spotlight on ag supply chain

The JBS pork processing plant in Worthington partially re-opened Wednesday, after closing two weeks ago to stem a COVID-19 outbreak among workers. Its closure, coupled with that of another massive pork plant in nearby Sioux Falls, has caused major disruptions in the pork industry.
by Cathy Wurzer

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Intelligence Squared debate: Don't eat anything with a face

Intelligence Squared debate: Don't eat anything with a face

Under "stay-at-home" requirements, people are buying more groceries for cooking their meals at home and many of us are thinking more often about what we like to eat. The Intelligence Squared series hosted a debate about one thing many people like to eat — meat.
by MPR News Staff

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Meatpackers cautiously reopen plants amid coronavirus fears

Meatpackers cautiously reopen plants amid coronavirus fears

A South Dakota pork processing plant took its first steps toward reopening after a virus outbreak among workers that was one of the worst in the nation. Smithfield Foods shuttered its Sioux Falls plant for over two weeks because of a coronavirus outbreak that infected over 800 employees.
by The Associated Press

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As pandemic closes doors, Minnesota creamery charts path to open new ones

As pandemic closes doors, Minnesota creamery charts path to open new ones

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt various supply chains in Minnesota, some farmers and small business owners are getting creative and adapting to the changing conditions. In some cases, a major pivot has opened new doors in getting products to the masses.
by Mike Moen and Emily Bright

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