Today, we discussed two aspects of an industry that covers much of Illinois: farming. We explore why the number and quality of Black farm owners and operators has declined in Illinois and the rest of the country since 1920. Plus how a warming climate is changing how we farm and the effect of biofuels on the environment.
Three reporters from Illinois Newsroom and Investigate Midwest joined the 21st.
GUESTS:
Amanda Pérez Pintado
Agriculture Reporter, Investigate MidwestThrough Report for America
Dana Cronin
Agriculture Reporter, Illinois NewsroomHarvest Public Media
Shahla Farzan
Reporter, St. Louis Public Radio | Ph.D. ecologist
“This provides pretty good evidence that the direction that we’ve gone by mandating more corn ethanol production is only making climate change worse.”
My latest for @HarvestPM @ILPublicMedia:https://t.co/YieDYGfKui
— Dana Cronin (@DanaHCronin) February 17, 2022
Midwest winters are becoming warmer. That’s affecting farmers (via @ShahlaFarzan) https://t.co/xjuSayYtxu
— Harvest Public Media (@HarvestPM) February 21, 2022
In 1920, Illinois had 890 Black farmers. Illinois has more than 70,000 farms today, but only 188 have. #blackfarmers #ag https://t.co/mCavDul9f8
— InvestigateMidwest (@IMidwest) February 21, 2022
Owen Henderson prepared this web page
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