Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • Could Seaweed Help Save Us From Climate Catastrophe?

    Seaweed aquaculture is a growing field that scientists are investigating for a number of climate-related uses, from reducing methane emissions in livestock to replacing plastic in packaging. Governments, startups, and researchers around the world are getting into the algae business that is also helping to create new jobs. There are challenges with scaling many of these products, but recent research for many of these initiatives have shown signs of early success.

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  • Pandemic Offers Surprising Opportunity for Farmers

    The coronavirus pandemic,and related lockdowns and travel restrictions caused farmers across Zimbabwe to lose substantial income as crops spoiled. But the crisis led to a shift in strategy, with many farmers participating in bartering networks that have opened new markets closer to home. Having to travel shorter distances creates greater income stability, as reliable transportation was an issue well before the pandemic. Farmers also shifted the types of crops they sell with an eye towards adding value. Dried produce and herbs increase profits by up to 30% and allow farmers to supply crops out of season.

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  • If Ranching Wants To Survive Drought And Other Climate Hassles, It's Time To Show Soil Some Love

    Thanks to a microloan from a local nonprofit and a willingness to try a new approach, a ranching operation in Colorado has begun introducing regenerative agriculture practices in the form of carbon capture. Using "portable electric fences to keep their cattle moving," the farmers have been able to produce healthier soil which has promoted better grass growth. Although the practice has not caught on across the industry, "regenerative agriculture is considered an important climate solution."

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  • A grassroots push to save disappearing birds and bees forces change in Germany

    Environmental advocates got 1.75 million signatures to change Bavarian farming laws to protect biodiversity. The Save the Bees Campaign calls for using subsidies to nearly triple the amount of organic farming, creating a network of wildlife corridors, and other actions to protect bird and insect life. Initial results show that, since the law took effect, the share of organic farmland increased and thousands of more acres of forest have been protected. Farmers have also adjusted their view of productivity, including protecting nature as a way to be productive. Similar efforts are happening across Europe.

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  • An unusual snack for cows, a powerful fix for climate

    A farmer on Prince Edward Island fed his cows seaweed and noticed that they produced more milk and had better pregnancy success. A study of his cows found that they also reduced methane emissions by about 18 percent, a decent amount that could be beneficial in combating climate change. The farmer is now part owner of North Atlantic Organics, which produces seaweed supplements for livestock. Now, other companies around the world are popping up to do the same thing and scale this climate solution.

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  • An urban farm nourishes the poorest part of Philly as its growers fight to keep the land

    The Life Do Grow Farm in Philadelphia, run by the nonprofit Urban Creators, is a two-acre plot that yields food needed to feed the community who might not be able to make ends meet. Since June, the farm has distributed 65,000 pounds of produce, along with free children’s meals. But the farm is also a community gathering space for artists and entrepreneurs. While the land’s lease runs out in 2022, the nonprofit hopes to own it and highlight it as a “reimagination of city land, a radical collaboration in the service of empowering Black and brown communities in North Central Philly,” said the farm manager.

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  • Worker-led programs like Milk with Dignity are key to protecting dairy farm workers

    A first-of-its-kind worker-led program in Vermont is helping dairy migrant workers to "hold farmers, corporations, and suppliers in the dairy industry accountable for the rights of workers in their supply-chains through a legally-binding agreement." Although not all dairy farm operations have joined in the program as participants, it has been enacted on 64 farms and helped bolster wages and housing situations for migrant farmers.

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  • The Collective Farm Helping Oregon's Latinx Farmworkers Weather the Pandemic

    The Raíces Cooperative Farm in Hood River, Oregon provides Spanish-speaking community members "a place to grow food," learn from one another about farming practices and develop leadership skills. “Through Raíces, I began to learn better cultivation techniques. [We are shown] how to care for the soil, plants, and seeds, and the program provides economic support" one member explained. During the coronavirus pandemic, the cooperative has also been integral to supplying food for mobile markets.

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  • Seattle's urban farmers are reclaiming public space

    Seattle’s urban agriculture community saw a boom during the COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests. BIPOC-led urban farms — like YES Farm and Black Star Farmers — had an increase in volunteers and people wanting to help provide food security, agricultural education, and land access to communities who don’t have their basic needs met. In the first half of 2020, the city of Seattle assigned plots of land to 439 new gardeners to pursue urban farming, with nearly half of them going to underrepresented populations.

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  • Addressing organic farming's climate-change problem

    On his organic farm in Illinois, Will Glazik is experimenting with different types of agricultural methods to increase his crop yield while also avoiding the harmful impacts of industrial farming. He’s part of a growing movement called “sustainable intensification,” which combines both conventional and organic farming techniques. While there are challenges with this approach and what works in one place might not work in another, combining these types of farming could help feed a growing global population.

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