A proposal to create a federal funding program to protect the Mississippi River, which advocates say would mirror those of other major watersheds and is long overdue, is back in front of Congress.
The Midwest has thousands of miles of oil and natural gas pipelines running underneath farmland, forests, and even rivers. And many more pipeline projects are being proposed as part of efforts to lower greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.
Even after adjusting for inflation, the amount Americans spent on food — at home and at restaurants and bars — reached the highest figure recorded by the USDA.
After years of complaints, the USDA is reforming how chicken companies pay contract growers. Turkey growers have had the same complaints, but they're not part of the USDA's reforms.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office recently made six recommendations on how USDA can improve its reporting on foreign-owned land across the country.
Drought has left parts of the Mississippi River basin with rainfall deficits of more than a foot. Recent winter storms could provide some relief as the snow melts and makes its way to parched waterways.
