Agriculture

Commodity-driven deforestation is most responsible, with farming and forestry also playing a major role in the global tree cover loss.

• By Rachel Fritts

Where California outshines other states, and by how much.

• By Gregory Orfalea

The announcement prompted the California State Water Resources Control Board to postpone its vote on a proposal restricting agricultural water use in the Delta.

• By Emily Moon

A tax incentive aimed at getting landowners to allow their unused lots to become urban farms has generated little interest in Los Angeles County.

• By Ludwig Hurtado

An economist explains how the trade conflict with China continues to harm American farmers as well as the overall economy.

• By Amanda M. Countryman

Conflict over the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta has played out over decades of back-and-forth between regulators and farmers.

• By Emily Moon

New findings could help unravel the larger mystery of how pollution affects produce.

• By Sophie Yeo

Those living near factory farms have to contend with noxious odors, toxic emissions, and swarms of insects, and have had little success in obtaining relief—but that is changing.

• By Sacoby Wilson

Due to a mix of factors around the issue there is a risk we may be moving toward a non-ideal situation for animals and humans alike.

• By Michael von Massow & Alfons Weersink

A protest in Petaluma, California, prompts the question: Do we have a right to help farm animals that are suffering?

• By James McWilliams

Hemp, which produces valuable CBD oil, is set to become recognized as an agricultural crop this year, and could provide a much needed influx of revenue for Western agriculture.

• By Matt Weiser

Bees are an essential part of food production and a healthy ecosystem, so following the rise and fall their populations is essential.

• By Kelsey K. Graham

On the latest episode of Pacific Standard's podcast about how our stories are made, a feature story about Australian plant ecologist Brenton Ladd—an outsider who wants to save the region's trees.

• By Pacific Standard Staff
• Member Exclusive

A recent funding decision has put the ambitious water project on firmer financial ground, but California Water Fix must still clear numerous regulatory and legal hurdles.

• By Tara Lohan

New research suggests our ancestors' agricultural practices may have shaped our beliefs and assumptions.

• By Tom Jacobs

In 2012, Little Village residents helped shut down a coal plant. Now, a redevelopment company plans to build a distribution center in its place, bringing more dirty trucks to the neighborhood.

• By Sophie Yeo

Insects are poised to reinvent industrial animal agriculture.

• By James McWilliams

The 2018 net farm income is predicted to reach $59.5 billion, a $4.3 billion decrease from 2017.

• By Candace Butera

An interview with Charles C. Mann about the roots of modern environmentalism and the fate of the human species.

• By Kate Wheeling

Re-assessing how much food we throw out.

• By James McWilliams

Growing native grasses allows cows to produce milk more efficiently and helps women in Kenya thrive where the men have struggled.

• By Sophie Mbugua

Is the world finally ready for cellular agriculture, meat grown in a laboratory, or whatever else the latest marketing attempts are calling it?

• By James McWilliams

Increasing beef productivity and engaging directly with the supply chain may be a flawed approach when seeking positive conservation outcomes.

• By Mike Gaworecki

Activists point to rights abuses, ecological disasters, and what they believe to be unfair distribution of profits.

• By Keith Schneider