Rhode Island's Ashawaug Farm, run by Dawn and Cassius Spears, cultivates Narragansett heritage crops, facing challenges in expanding reach due to federal program cuts. New legislation aims to create a permanent grant program for local food purchases, prioritizing tribal farmers.
US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins' messaging on the screwworm parasite has shifted from 'terrifying' to 'little pest' as it's detected in Texas. She blames lax immigration policies for its spread and assures the public the food supply is safe, while critics link the outbreak to the Trump administration and rising inflation.
A calf in La Pryor, Texas, was found infested with screwworm, prompting a containment response from US and Texas officials, with no other cases detected yet.
US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins testified that dependence on China for agricultural inputs poses an existential threat to national security and liberty, while defending a reduced $20.8 billion 2027 budget request amidst farmer pressures from tariffs, the Iran war, and supply disruptions.
