Field Notes

Field Notes: How are decisions made about projects that benefit rural America?

Abbie Fentress Swanson — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:23:33 +0000

The U.S. Department of Agriculture first began designating funds for rural development in 1933 as part of the New Deal. More federal funds were allocated in the Agricultural Act of 1970. During this fiscal year, the rural development program is administering approximately $38 billion in loans, loan guarantees and grants. It’s being used to construct or improve 48 rural libraries, assist 243 projects in the delivery of healthcare and help more than 270,000 low income families get affordable housing, according to the USDA.

Field Notes: Looking inside plants for answers to a changing climate

Abbie Fentress Swanson and Grant Gerlock — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

This is the latest installment of Harvest Public Media’s Field Notes, in which reporters talk to newsmakers and experts about important issues related to food production.

Field Notes: Marking the fifth anniversary of the Postville, Iowa raid

Abbie Fentress Swanson — Fri, 10 May 2013 18:20:29 +0000

This is the latest installment of Harvest Public Media’s Field Notes, in which reporters talk to newsmakers and experts about important issues related to food production.

Field Notes: 'The Midwest Farmer's Daughter'

Abbie Fentress Swanson and Bill Wheelhouse — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:52:32 +0000

This is the latest installment of Harvest Public Media’s Field Notes, in which reporters talk to newsmakers and experts about important issues related to food production.

Field Notes: Using drones to capture a prairie burn in Missouri

Abbie Fentress Swanson and Scott Pham — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 21:17:43 +0000

This is the latest installment of Harvest Public Media’s Field Notes, in which reporters talk to newsmakers and experts about important issues related to food production.

Field Notes: The aftermath of a grain explosion

Abbie Fentress Swanson and Jeremy Bernfeld — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 21:46:56 +0000

This is the latest installment of Harvest Public Media’s Field Notes, in which reporters talk to newsmakers and experts about important issues related to food production.

Who knew storing grain could be so dangerous?

Field Notes: Missouri farmer lands starring role

Abbie Fentress Swanson — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 20:29:52 +0000

This is the latest installment of Harvest Public Media’s Field Notes, in which reporters talk to newsmakers and experts about important issues related to food production.

Missouri farmer Chris Chinn is taking on a high-profile role as one of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance’s “Faces of Farming and Ranching.”

'The Moo Man' casts light on challenges facing small dairies

Abbie Fentress Swanson — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:00:00 +0000

This story is part of True/False Conversations, a series of in-depth interviews with the filmmakers of this year’s True/False Festival. Find the rest of them here or This is the latest installment of Harvest Public Media’s Field Notes, in which reporters talk to newsmakers and experts about important issues related to food production.

Field Notes: How nitrogen fertilizer killed crop rotation

Abbie Fentress Swanson and Amy Mayer — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 15:38:06 +0000

This is the latest installment of Harvest Public Media’s Field Notes, in which reporters talk to newsmakers and experts about important issues related to food production.