This week in the newsletter, Desk Expert Journalist Kathleen Davis shares a recent episode she produced for Science Friday and asks: is there still a use for Farmers' Almanacs in 2026?

This week in the newsletter, Desk Expert Journalist Kathleen Davis shares a recent episode she produced for Science Friday and asks: is there still a use for Farmers' Almanacs in 2026?

Elon Musk’s xAI has fired up dozens of polluting, gas-powered generators to fuel the Grok chatbot — and wants to add more. New Desk reporting from Illan Ireland and the Mississippi Free Press.

Cotton Plant, Ark., can’t maintain water infrastructure for its residents. With an aging population and a lack of state resources, long-term solutions seem far from reach. New reporting from the Ag & Water Desk:

Millions of rural Americans get their water from districts that serve 10,000 people or less. Thousands of those systems are failing to meet federal standards. New reporting from the Ag & Water Desk:

This week in the newsletter, we're talking to essayist and author Ralph Eubanks about his new book, "When It's Darkness on the Delta: How America's Richest Soil Became Its Poorest Land." Read more:

Residents of Canton, Miss., say traffic and dust have already made life a ‘mess’. And they worry what will happen when hundreds of backup diesel generators go online. New story from Desk reporter Illan Ireland and the Mississippi Free Press.

States need a major disaster declaration to access federal aid, but the wait time ranges from a few days to a few months. New reporting from Desk reporter Cassandra Stephenson and Tennessee Lookout.

Little progress has been made despite 40 years of cleanup on Leech Lake Reservation. Locals fear for the health of surrounding lakes and the Mississippi River downstream.

LIVE PANEL: Joana Colussi, Purdue prof and expert on South American agriculture, says Brazil is setting records for soybean production thanks to trade w/ China, but it comes as a cost. "They are making money but at the same time, it's over-dependence." https://t.co/ZSSuT2j2Ce 

LIVE PANEL: Jared Phillips, U. of Ark. ag historian, says six decades of ag policy focused on exports has limited the country's ability to respond to crisis. "There's not a lot of wiggle room anymore." https://t.co/ZSSuT2j2Ce 

LIVE PANEL: April Hemmes, Iowa farmer who's visited China 8 times to talk trade, says the main use of soybeans there is as feed. "At the end of the day, South America can't service all their needs," she says of U.S. exports. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83118281931?pwd=ofocP7ZhQMFqS4xzs8dTpbSdGFW3CP.1

HAPPENING NOW: We're underway with our panel discussion on how ag tariffs are reshaping global trade. Join us! [Registration required] https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83118281931?pwd=ofocP7ZhQMFqS4xzs8dTpbSdGFW3CP.1

Last chance to sign up for our panel on tariffs, trade wars and agriculture, which is today at noon! Sign up at the link:

Don't miss your chance! Apply now for six new environmental reporting positions with the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk. Deadline is today! @Report4America https://t.co/PTvy7zes4k 

Reporters: Apply now for six new environmental reporting positions with the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk. Deadline is Monday, Feb. 16!

Reaching a goal of 1,000 buffalo will require more land and fencing. An alliance of tribal nations may help.

Consolidation in ag, higher input prices, land access issues and other obstacles are making it hard for young farmers to gain a foothold in U.S. agriculture

This week in the newsletter, a look at the incredible career of Mark Schleifstein. From Pulitzers to pollution, he's seen it all in environmental journalism. Read and subscribe:

An interesting piece of data from Desk reporter Illan Ireland's recent story on threats to community air monitoring in Louisiana: most chemical plants exempted from the HON rule are in the Mississippi River Basin. Explore the map in the story here:

The Trump administration was quick to mobilize initial aid, but it’s not clear how a shrunken agency will handle the long-term recovery costs.

This week in the newsletter: a special message from our new editorial director after a month on the job, some fascinating recent stories from Desk reporters, and a very exciting update on our fundraising campaign! Read more:

Reporters: Apply now for six new environmental reporting positions with the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk! Applications are due Feb. 16. More info:

Thirty-six states have detected cases of CWD, but many hunters are more fearful of losing game than the disease itself. Read more from Héctor Alejandro Arzate and the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk:

Join us Feb. 19 to explore how tariffs and China’s global investment are reshaping U.S. farming. Investigate Midwest, the Arkansas Times, and the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk will host a live virtual panel examining the impacts on U.S. farmers. More info, and sign up here:

Some exciting news to share: we've selected our next cohort of newsrooms! 6 outlets will join the Desk in 2026, hosting a full-time reporter through Report for America. Read more:

For these faithful, nurturing the Earth is rooted in spiritual beliefs. Five activists in Wisconsin share how belief has driven them to be better stewards of the earth. New reporting from Desk reporter Madeline Heim and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

It’s not just that sea levels are rising. Scientists believe fossil fuel extraction and river engineering are also factors behind coastline disappearance.

As the state limits sharing of independent data, the Trump administration is delaying new testing requirements for dozens of chemical plants around the Mississippi River Basin

As the cost of everything, especially energy, increases, nonprofit organizations stockpile wood to help neighbors stay home through winter.

We're in the final hours of our 2025 fundraising campaign, and every bit counts! Donate to the Ag & Water Desk today! We appreciate the support. https://formizzou.missouri.edu/campaigns/63912/donations/new

This week in the newsletter, we're reflecting on 2025: our favorite stories, experiences and accomplishments.

At the Ag & Water Desk, we know local, independent reporting is vital. If you believe in what we do, we hope you’ll chip in during our NewsMatch campaign. Your donation will be matched if you give before 12/31. Can we count on you? https://formizzou.missouri.edu/campaigns/63912/donations/new

Chinese state-backed money is remaking the hemisphere’s ports —from Santos to Chancay — reshaping grain routes to Asia and squeezing U.S. farmers as tariffs deepen the split with Washington.

As we get close to the end of the year, we've got some great content planned for the weekly Ag & Water Desk newsletter. Sign up here, including some info from our partner newsrooms in the Climate News Task Force. https://trustfnd.com/collaboration/get-the-climate-news-task-force-newsletter-bundle 

The Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk is pleased to announce that Chas Sisk has been named its new editorial director. Sisk brings a proven track record leading successful news collaboratives to the Desk.

The Desk at NASW: Read more: https://agwaterdesk.bluelena.io/social/c0e190d8267e36708f955d7ab048990d.217  And sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://trustfnd.com/collaboration/get-the-climate-news-task-force-newsletter-bundle

The Trump administration has announced $12 billion in relief for farmers but that won’t cover all their losses.

As farmers face historic headwinds and market hardships, calls to the national Farm Aid hotline and the Iowa Concern hotline — where farmers can get support in times of mental health crisis or need — are increasing. New reporting from Estefanía Pinto Ruiz and KWQC TV6.

In Missouri, the daily drawings at the duck hunting "poor line" are crucial to prevent overcrowding. But they also help protect the state’s wetlands and the migratory birds that depend on them along the Mississippi Flyway. New reporting from Héctor Alejandro Arzate of the Ag & Water Desk.

This Giving Tuesday, we're reflecting on how our work brings people together. We hope you'll support our mission to bring trustworthy local news and information to communities that need it most. Give today here: https://formizzou.missouri.edu/campaigns/63912/donations/new

Cover crops are expanding across Iowa, but many farmers quit after just one year. Desk reporter Olivia Cohen of The Gazette explores why.

Agricultural and builders’ groups have called it a win for private property owners. Environmental groups warn that it will exacerbate costly challenges like flooding that already plague the river and its tributaries.

Tariffs have brought significant and varied trade impacts across the Mississippi River Basin over the last few months. This week in the newsletter, we've brought together a few recent local pieces from Desk reporters as we continue to monitor these changes.

Today we’re launching our annual fundraising campaign, in partnership with NewsMatch. Your support powers the Desk’s mission to connect communities across the Mississippi River Basin with important local news and information. Will you help us start strong, and donate today?

Climate Central has brought back the U.S. Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database, tracking the nation’s costliest storms, floods, and fires. In the first six months of 2025, there were 14 events totaling $101 billion in losses. Read more from Desk reporter Hêctor Alejandro Arzate.

Lake Pepin, a hub for recreation and local economies in Minnesota and Wisconsin, is filling with sediment. A project is digging into a culprit: ravines and gullies sending soil downstream. Learn more from Desk reporter Madeline Heim and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

We’re thrilled to welcome two new Expert Journalists: Kathleen Davis and Michael Hawthorne, @scribeguy.bsky.social. Both bring deep experience in science, environment, and investigative reporting. They’ll mentor early-career reporters and help expand collaborative coverage across the Basin.

For three decades, the USDA’s Food Security Supplement helped the country understand hunger, where it’s rising, who’s most affected, and how programs like SNAP make a difference. Now, the agency has canceled it. Read more from Harshawn Ratanpal and @kbianews.bsky.social:

The monks of New Melleray Abbey see their 1,500-acre forest as more than timber. They’re working to build a genetically diverse ecosystem, where every harvest is balanced by careful management. Read how faith + conservation meet in Iowa from Olivia Cohen and @thegazette.com