Science
Knitted 'Plant Armor' Fabric Boosts Strawberry Yields Up to 3.56 Times in NC State Trials
The 3-D textile lets sun, rain and air through while keeping insects off the fruit, which could cut the pesticides strawberry growers spray.
Topic
Agriculture
10 stories from Planck Standard. Latest: October 2, 2026.
PoliticsTrump Just Waived Tariffs on 661 Million Pounds of Foreign Beef
The 90-day proclamation takes effect Sept. 1, right as ranchers head into their peak selling season. 'Most of whom are MAGA Republicans,' one GOP senator wrote.
PoliticsThe Senate Farm Bill Died 10-11 in Committee Over a Fight About Which States Miscount Food Stamps
Republicans wanted a one-year delay before states start paying part of the SNAP bill. Democrats wanted two. Two Republican senators were absent, and the current farm law expires September 30.
PoliticsRepublicans Move to Overhaul the H-2A Farm Visa, Opening It to Year-Round Dairy and Livestock Work
The Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act, introduced by House Agriculture Chairman Glenn Thompson, would strip the program's seasonal limit and offer some unauthorized farmworkers a path in, dividing labor advocates and immigration hawks alike.
WorldStrait of Hormuz Closure Chokes Global Fertilizer Trade, Threatening 2027 Food Prices
With a third of the world's fertilizer shipments stalled by the war in Iran, nitrogen prices have jumped 80 percent since February — and economists warn the real hit to American grocery bills is still to come.
PoliticsHouse Passes Bipartisan Bill Allowing Year-Round Sale of Higher-Ethanol Gas
Rare cross-party vote approves E15 ethanol blend sales despite opposition from Republican hard-liners and oil refiners.
BusinessUSDA Crop Estimates Miss by 4.5 Million Acres as Data Reliability Questioned
Agriculture Department admits corn acreage was significantly undercounted last year due to lack of survey responses, raising concerns about accuracy of government agricultural data.
PhysicsScientists Develop Soil-Powered Fuel Cell That Could Replace Underground Batteries
Revolutionary device uses soil microbes to generate electricity for sensors, offering sustainable alternative to toxic batteries in precision agriculture.
BusinessRising Iran War Costs Force Farms Toward Potential Agricultural Crisis
The conflict is driving up farming expenses on operations already under severe pressure, raising concerns about whether America faces another devastating farm crisis.
WorldIran War's Hidden Front: Fertilizer Blockade Threatens Global Crop Failures as Planting Season Opens
Strait of Hormuz shipping has collapsed 95%, cutting off a third of global urea trade during the spring planting window, with the UN warning of 'crop failures next season' across East Africa and South Asia.