Despite the numerous sources of anxiety that can affect those in agriculture, farmers tend to be reluctant to ask for help. While there is still sometimes an unfortunate stigma around addressing mental health issues, farmers are also conditioned to be independent.

As in many places, the size of ranches in Australia – or stations, as they’re called Down Under – have increased. One change that has allowed stations to grow that big is the use of the helicopter to herd, or “muster,” the cattle. When cattle need to be brought back to the station, a team of trained helicopter musterers are deployed in the air.

Determining what is allowed into the food chain is an important judgment that can affect the health of millions. Regardless of the approach, it’s imperative that the decisions are made based on unbiased data as much as possible and not the interests of corporations.

Chillingham cattle have captivated the interests of scientists for several reasons. Being the only untamed breed of bovines, researchers can study them to learn about cattle’s natural behavior before being influenced by humans. 

With each year that passes, it feels less and less likely that full and accurate accountability will ever be reached for the students of the Ayotzinapa Rural Normal School. However, by refusing to allow the world to forget what happen in September 2014, the families of the victims proved that not all heinous acts by those in power can be brushed aside easily. 

Corn was not only created in Mexico, but it was the basis for human development there. Farmers in the central regions of the present-day borders began selectively breeding teosinte, a wild grass that looks very different than modern-day corn. Throughout the years, they were able to artificially select plants that had increasing nutritional value.

I have no doubt that farming will look very different in 20 years than it does now. Whether the blockchain will be a part of agriculture’s future or not is something I can’t say. Whatever technology is implemented in the future, my only hope is that it benefits the farmer the most, instead of companies and middlemen making money off the farmer.

This morning, as I write, Politico has pointed out that anti-immigrant sentiment has been on the rise the last decade in both the U.S. and Europe, something that surprises few citizens of either continent. The Dublin riots was a resounding indicator that Ireland hasn’t escaped this trend.

As the National Farmers Union (NFU) often highlights, consolidation among agribusiness in American agriculture has had a disastrous effect on family farms. They point out how 85% of corn seed is controlled by only four firms, 85% of beef packing is likewise owned by four companies and 95% of large farm tractors are made by three multinationals. It’s worth pointing out that American farmers have come up against corporate interests before – and won.

In October 2024, an establishment in London suffered the devastating theft of £300,000 (about $380,000) of inventory. It’s a loss that’s going to be tough to come back from. However, it wasn’t precious jewels or priceless artwork. It was cheese.