LND topic: otherside-farm page 1

otherside farm

Rail Merge Threatens Pennsylvania’s Rural Economy

March 5, 2026

Pennsylvania owns a lot of trees, farms and minerals. The state also has many factories that rely on trains to move goods. Railroads are a key part of the U. S. economy. A single freight train can carry what fifty trucks would move, so it saves money and cuts road traffic. Union Pacific and No

politics

AI Centers vs. Farmland: Texas Votes on the Future

March 4, 2026

In a surprising turn, voters in Texas chose businessman Nate Sheets over longtime incumbent John Miller for the state’s agriculture commissioner role. The decision highlighted how the rise of artificial‑intelligence data centers may outweigh traditional farming concerns, even in a state known for it

politics

Science Money Keeps Maine’s Ocean Jobs Alive

March 4, 2026

Maine’s coastal economy depends on science money that comes from Washington. When federal agencies like the National Science Foundation, NOAA, and NASA receive cuts, the ripple effects hit fishermen in Portland, aquaculture farms in Brunswick, and towns such as Machias that rely on data to protect t

science

Digging into How Bacteria and Viruses Change in Pig Manure Digests

February 28, 2026

In pig farms, manure piles are a big source of antibiotic‑resistance genes, or ARGs. Scientists wanted to see how treating this waste with anaerobic digestion (AD) changes those genes and the viruses that live there. AD is a common way to break down waste without oxygen, producing useful gas. The s

politics

Utah’s Water and Land Laws Shake Up in 2026

February 28, 2026

Utah lawmakers are busy reshaping how the state handles water, land and mining. While the Great Salt Lake gets most headlines, several new bills aim to protect farmers, miners and public lands. One proposal lets the state’s natural resources department pay for legal fights over Colorado River water

science

Glyphosate Debate: Science, Politics and the Future of Food

February 28, 2026

The world’s most common weed killer has become a flashpoint for disagreement among scientists, lawmakers and the public. The chemical, known in stores as Roundup, works by blocking a plant’s ability to make amino acids. Farmers use it on crops that have been engineered to resist its effects, a

education

Hidden Threats in Farm Schools

February 28, 2026

Many school programs that teach farming and food business miss a crucial lesson: keeping crops, livestock, and markets safe from disease and danger. Research looked at 199 college classes that cover agriculture and business. Only eight of those courses, about 4%, mentioned any idea about protecti

politics

Turning Somalia’s Land into a Food Future

February 27, 2026

Somalia still sees its people starving, but the real cause is not a lack of food on trucks; it is deeper problems that short‑term aid can’t fix. 4. 3 million people are hungry today, and more than 700, 000 children suffer severe malnutrition. The country has a long coast, fertile river valleys and a

environment

Desert Drivers Meet a Swarm Surprise

February 27, 2026

A quiet road in the Western Sahara turned into an unexpected battlefield when a gigantic group of locusts appeared out of nowhere. Drivers had to weave around the insects, which looked like a living cloud that blocked the highway and rattled cars. Locusts are notorious for destroying crops, and s

environment

Solar Power Replaces Crops: California Farmers Turn to Energy

February 26, 2026

California’s drylands are turning a new leaf as farmers trade fields for panels. The plan envisions 200 square miles of solar arrays that could light up whole cities, with giant batteries keeping the power steady when sun is scarce. Farmers in the Westlands region, long dependent on irrigation fr