Dan Charles appears in the following:
Arkansas Tries To Stop An Epidemic Of Herbicide Damage
Friday, June 23, 2017
A weedkiller called dicamba, which farmers hoped could banish herbicide-resistant weeds, has become a plague itself in Arkansas. The state's regulators just voted to ban it for 120 days.
Our Love Of 'All Natural' Is Causing A Vanilla Shortage
Friday, June 16, 2017
There's a global shortage of vanilla beans because big food companies now want natural vanilla, rather than the synthetic kind. Prices have soared, squeezing bakers and ice cream makers alike.
U.S. Pays Farmers Billions To Save The Soil. But It's Blowing Away
Wednesday, June 07, 2017
Right now, the government rents farmland to help protect soil and water. But once the land is farmed again, the benefits disappear. Environmentalists want to change that.
A Farm Journalist Tells Farmers What They'd Rather Not Hear About Climate Change
Friday, June 02, 2017
Journalist Chris Clayton writes for an audience filled with climate skeptics: farmers and leaders of agricultural businesses. He's telling them that a changing climate will disrupt their lives.
How New Roots Are Driving An Apple Renaissance
Thursday, June 01, 2017
The apple renaissance of recent years has given us new varieties of fruit. But that's only half of the story, and half of the tree. Another revolution is happening below ground, in the tree roots.
Two Scientists, Two Different Approaches To Saving Bees From Poison Dust
Saturday, May 27, 2017
Two scientists agree that pesticide-laden dust from planting equipment kills bees. But they're proposing different solutions, because they disagree about whether the pesticides are useful to farmers.
Congress and Farmers Are Shocked By Proposed USDA Cuts
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
The Trump administration wants to cut both food aid to the poor and subsidies for the nation's farmers. Supporters of both programs are joining forces to fight the cuts in Congress.
Government Confirms A Surge In Foreign Guest Workers On U.S. Farms
Thursday, May 18, 2017
Government statistics show a big increase in the number of foreign guest workers approved to work on American farms this year. It's up 36 percent over the same period last year.
How Puerto Rico Lost Its Home-Grown Food, But Might Find It Again
Saturday, May 13, 2017
Amid the wreckage of economic crisis in Puerto Rico, a local food movement is taking root. Hopeful farmers are leasing long-abandoned land. But why was the land abandoned in the first place?
PHOTOS: This Is What It Looks Like When A New Apple Comes To Town
Tuesday, May 09, 2017
This spring, orchards in Washington state are being ripped up to make room for a new apple variety called Cosmic Crisp. This is what happens before it hits store shelves.
Washington Apple Growers Sink Their Teeth Into The New Cosmic Crisp
Wednesday, May 03, 2017
A new apple variety is on its way. It's called Cosmic Crisp, and farmers in Washington state are planting these trees by the millions. They're making a risky bet that consumers will like it.
How Canadian Dairy Farmers Escape The Global Milk Glut
Wednesday, May 03, 2017
President Trump recently accused Canada of unfairly blocking imports of milk from the U.S. He was taking aim at a Canadian system that defiantly rejects the free market and protects small farmers.
EPA Says It Will Allow Continued Sale Of Controversial Pesticide
Thursday, March 30, 2017
The EPA is not going ahead with a proposed ban on a pesticide called chlorpyrifos, saying there's still scientific uncertainty over its safety. Environmental groups say it can harm young children.
EPA Decides Not To Ban A Pesticide, Despite Its Own Evidence Of Risk
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
New EPA administrator Scott Pruitt has decided not to ban chlorpyrifos, a pesticide widely used on produce. That's despite evidence previously compiled by EPA showing it could pose risks to consumers.
Fearful Farmers Rush To Find 'Guest Workers'
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Immigration lawyers are getting a wave of calls from farmers looking for foreign "guest workers." The farmers are worried that they'll lose their existing workers to an immigration crackdown.
How To Make Farmers Love Cover Crops? Pay Them
Thursday, March 16, 2017
New satellite images reveal that few Midwestern farmers are planting pollution-preventing "cover crops." In Maryland, though, farmers are doing it, thanks to hefty subsidies.
Emails Reveal Monsanto's Tactics To Defend Glyphosate Against Cancer Fears
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Internal emails show Monsanto executives scrambling to counter a U.N. agency's finding that glyphosate, the chemical in Roundup, can cause cancer. One email proposed "ghost-writing" scientific papers.
Farmers Fight Environmental Regulations
Tuesday, March 07, 2017
Many of America's farmers are successfully fending off environmental regulation, from the Obama administration's Clean Water Rule to a lawsuit in Iowa that's aimed at reducing nitrates in rivers.
Reviving Puerto Rico's Cocoa Farms, Centuries After Hurricanes Destroyed Them
Wednesday, March 01, 2017
Cocoa plantations in Puerto Rico were wiped out centuries ago. Now, local pride and the sheer love of chocolate are bringing back local cocoa.
Sorry, Salad Lovers: We May Have No Mesclun Mix (For Two Weeks)
Wednesday, March 01, 2017
The system that delivers fresh greens to supermarkets is having a hiccup. There may be a nationwide shortage of salad mix in a few weeks. You can blame wet weather in Arizona and California.