Latest Agriculture News

How did so many Thai farmers end up held hostage by Hamas?

Jan. 30, 2025 06:59 AM EST

BANGKOK (AP) — Five Thai nationals held hostage by Hamas since its Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel were released on Thursday. They were among 31 Thais taken by the militant group, of whom 23 have already been released. Another two have been confirmed dead, and the status of one...

Trump rescinds funding freeze but uncertainty lives on for wide array of environmental programs

Jan. 29, 2025 17:41 PM EST

A chaotic back-and-forth over President Donald Trump's freeze on federal grants and loans has farmers, activists, organizations and businesses wondering whether they will receive the funding they rely on. It's funding that among many other things is being used to address...

Who can share seeds? As climate change and counterfeits hurt Kenyan farmers, it's a growing question

Jan. 29, 2025 07:06 AM EST

KIKUYU, Kenya (AP) — Tucked away in a lush, forested area of central Kenya's Kikuyu town, the National Seed Bank stands as a crucial safeguard for the future of the country's agriculture. Inside two chilly rooms of a government building, more than 50,000 seed varieties are cataloged and stored. ...

Pork giant Smithfield's CEO touts growth outlook, minimizes threats from deportations, bird flu

Jan. 28, 2025 18:06 PM EST

Smithfield Foods' CEO says he hopes that everything the company has done to make working in its plants more attractive ever since COVID tore through the industry during the pandemic will help it weather the impact of President Donald Trump’s promised mass deportations. Smithfield...

Egg prices are soaring. Don't expect that to change anytime soon

Jan. 28, 2025 08:35 AM EST

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Bird flu is forcing farmers to slaughter millions of chickens a month, pushing U.S. egg prices to more than double their cost in the summer of 2023. And it appears there may be no relief in sight, given the surge in demand as Easter approaches. The average price...