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Roughly one quarter of all landfill waste in the US is food. If you add in things such as yard trimmings, newspapers and wood products, more than half of all waste is made up of organic material.  In a landfill, food and organic materials are dumped into the landfill, with more waste continually piled on […]

There are roughly 400 compost programs offered throughout 25 states in the US, and across Canada, roughly three-quarters of residents compost. Here, we’ve compiled a list of the top 50 most populous cities and municipalities across the two countries, to see who is composting. Along the way, we found some interesting data: Roughly 83 percent […]

Where there’s a will, there’s not always a way.  Ben Stanger has composted his whole life, starting with a backyard bin when he was a child. But when he wanted to expand his composting efforts and start a business, he had a hard time finding a municipality that would let him.  Eventually, he was able […]

How Illinois Is Bringing Grocery Stores Back to Main Street

This story was originally published by Barn Raiser, your independent source for rural and small town... (more)

Joe Engleman, Barn Raiser

Farm

Meet the Ranchers Working to Sustain the World’s Largest Elk Population

At Eagle Rock Ranch in Jefferson, Colorado, the elk start to gather at dusk. “I’ll... (more)

Bridget Shirvell
March 8, 2024
The Business Behind the Farm Visit

Visitors to Topaz Farm on Sauvie Island just outside of Portland, Oregon last October didn’t... (more)

Lena Beck
March 7, 2024
What Does it Take to Become an Organic Farmer?

Even though organic farming makes up less than one percent of US farmland, it’s still... (more)

Lena Beck
February 28, 2024
More Farm

Food

If Montreal Can Feed Itself Year-Round, More Cities Can

It’s (relatively) easy to eat local in California, where pomegranates, apricots, cherries, persimmons, figs, citrus,... (more)

Kathleen Willcox
March 13, 2024
Digging In: Food’s Big, Plastic Problem

“Does anyone realize we’re headed toward plastic armageddon?” That’s how Bradley Aiken of Portland, OR... (more)

Rose Garrett
March 6, 2024
What You Can Do About The Overwhelming Problem of Plastic Packaging

For most people on the planet, plastic has become inescapable. It’s also harmful to humans... (more)

Rose Garrett
March 6, 2024
More Food

News

Opinion: Farmers Are Dropping Out Because They Can’t Access Land. Here’s How...

As a teenager, I distinctly remember my father telling me to not follow in the... (more)

Carly Boyer
March 12, 2024
Making ‘Weeds’ Part of the Food System

The summer I was 18, I worked a few hours a week on a small... (more)

Lena Beck
March 11, 2024
Can Mushrooms Help Extinguish Toxic Waste?

Fungus is usually a good sign of things going bad. But it can also indicate... (more)

Naoki Nitta
March 4, 2024
More News
Meet the modern farmer
Meet some men and women who turned their love of country into a love of land.
Meet the Ranchers Working to Sustain the World’s Largest Elk Population

At Eagle Rock Ranch in Jefferson, Colorado, the elk start to gather at dusk. “I’ll... (more)

Meet the Farmer Who Pivoted in Her Fifties From a Law Firm...

Tami Purdue didn’t grow up on a farm or have a background in growing food.... (more)

Year in Review: The Farmers and Food Folk We Met Along the...

The “Meet the Modern Farmer” profile series has been a staple of Modern Farmer for... (more)

Meet the Farmer Championing Fair Food Prices While Fighting Food Insecurity

“Everyone used to joke that I would deliver my second child in my station wagon... (more)