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Wednesday, February 26, 2025

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US strikes a deal with Ukraine that includes access to its rare earth minerals, officials say; California researchers explore crops that thrive on salt; Medicaid cuts could hurt low-income Alaskans, damage health care system; MI environmentalists alarmed about potential Line 5 emergency permit status.

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Trump faces backlash for restricting press access. The Defense Secretary's ties to a controversial church spark debate, Speaker Mike Johnson struggles with votes for a budget that includes health care cuts. Arkansas expands school meals, and Western voters push back against cuts to wilderness agencies.

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U.S. farmers in limbo due to the federal funding freeze worry their projects will go unrealized, mass firings could wreak havoc on tourists visiting public lands this summer, while money to fight wildfires in rural areas is also jeopardized.

Research shows valuable impact of getting 'back to nature' practices on PA farms

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Tuesday, December 17, 2024   

A new study suggested getting "back to nature" in farming could help ward off the biggest effects of climate change.

As Pennsylvania faces increasingly extreme weather and biodiversity loss because of climate change, farmers and scientists are adopting resilient practices inspired by nature.

Liz Carlisle, associate professor of environmental studies at the University of California-Santa Barbara and the report's co-author in the science journal Frontiers, said what is known as "agroecological" farming can create tightly connected cycles of energy, water and nutrients, if farmers can get the resources they need.

"If we want to have a more sustainable food system, we really need to invest in that next generation of farmers and their development of knowledge," Carlisle urged. "And really think of them as the most important resource in farming."

She pointed out most farms today still rely on fossil fuel-based inputs such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The new approach prioritizes a living, healthy soil and aims to replace nonrenewable chemicals with practices that tap into natural ecosystems.

Carlisle noted new farms planted in wooded landscapes would look a lot like an actual forest, with multiple layers of crops, including trees. And farming on prairie lands could include regenerative grazing patterns created by native bison and other herbivores.

"Agroecological farming systems are really trying to work with nature and the services that nature provides, in terms of pest control and fertility," Carlisle explained. "Rather than working against nature."

Carlisle acknowledged over the past century, family farms in the United States have been overtaken by large corporations, leading to a shift away from traditional farming. She noted the shift has replaced those with strong land connections with chemical-focused practices to cut labor costs, harming rural economies. She stressed the importance of investing more societal wealth in the farmers and the landscapes they maintain.


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Miranda Johnson and her family received the keys to their new home, thanks in part to the Homeownership Development Incubator Program. (McMinnville Area Habitat for Humanity)

Social Issues

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Groups working to address Oregon's shortage of affordable housing are backing a bill to fund the state's Homeownership Development Incubator Program…


Social Issues

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AARP is taking applications for its 2025 Community Challenge grants and Wyoming's state chapter encouraged nonprofits and municipalities to apply…

Social Issues

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Workers in the fight against hunger in Arkansas are celebrating the passage and signing of Senate Bill 59. The legislation makes free breakfast …


After public outcry over the firing of thousands at the National Park Service and the Forest Service, the Trump administration has moved to re-hire some dozens of employees and additional seasonal workers. (BLM)

Environment

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People in Colorado and seven other Mountain West states may want to see changes in the federal government writ large but they oppose cuts to agencies …

Social Issues

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The fate of the U.S. Department of Education could have big effects for North Carolina schools. While the Trump administration has discussed …

It is estimated each cow contributes around $34,000 annually to the local economy, but barriers for new dairy farmers are preventing enough new entrants to the industry to replace retiring farmers. (Ann/Adobe Stock)

Environment

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In Pennsylvania, a nonprofit striving to secure the future of small dairy farms is hoping its federal funding won't be frozen much longer. …

Environment

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Michigan environmental groups are pushing back as Enbridge's Line 5 tunnel faces "emergency" review, potentially bypassing full scrutiny and public …

Social Issues

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ties with a controversial church based in Idaho and critics said the church's Christian nationalist views could gui…

 

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