farm

More women are joining their male peers among the ranks of oyster farmers. This could be because of growing marine science programs — and a desire to have a hands-on connection with the food system.

Many consumers don't yet understand the label, but grocery stores are now buying from "salmon-safe" farms, which help protect fish by banning pesticides and keeping manure out of the land's waterways.

Since 1998, Fair Trade USA has been certifying farms overseas that met its standards for workers and the environment. Now, the group is looking closer to home, starting with an Arizona organic farm.

There are many challenges to farming: It's often grueling work that relies on unpredictable factors such as weather and global market prices. But one aspect that's often ignored: health care costs.

Traditional gender roles on farms are changing, but slowly. While men are typically still in charge of operations, women are beginning to take on greater leadership.

Buoyed by agriculture interest groups, obstetrician Roger Marshall easily ousted Kansas Rep. Tim Huelskamp, a conservative member of the rabble-rousing Freedom Caucus.