Jonathan Ahl NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94 Jonathan Ahl reports from Missouri for Harvest Public Media. He also is the Rolla reporter for St. Louis Public Radio. Before coming to St. Louis Public Radio in November 2018, Jonathan was the General Manager for Tri States Public Radio in Macomb, Illinois. He previously was the News Director at Iowa Public Radio and before that at WCBU in Peoria, Illinois. Jonathan has also held reporting positions in central Illinois for public radio stations. Jonathan is originally from the Chicago area. He has a B.A. in Music Theory and Composition from Western Illinois University and an M.A. in Public Affairs Reporting from the University of Illinois at Springfield. He is an avid long distance runner, semi-professional saxophonist and die-hard Chicago Cubs fan. NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94 Jonathan Ahl Wed, 21 Apr 2021 20:24:44 +0000 https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Jonathan Ahl The Biden administration is fighting climate change in part by pushing for cars and trucks to be more fuel efficient and reduce emissions, but so far, that talk hasn’t landed in another mode of transportation: barges. In light of more pressure to advance the cause of green energy, the future of the barge industry is unclear, and it could have a major impact on Midwestern rivers. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/barge-industry-may-be-mixed-bag-green-energy-movement 991 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Tue, 13 Apr 2021 16:59:00 +0000 Barge Industry May Be A Mixed Bag For The Green Energy Movement Jonathan Ahl ROLLA, Mo. - Research underway at Missouri University of Science and Technology is looking for a way to pump the gas from decomposing plants and animal waste directly into a vehicle’s fuel tank, and the technology could find its first home on the farm. Decomposing biomass lets off two main gasses: methane and carbon dioxide. These can be captured from landfills or compost piles. The methane can be burned as fuel, but the carbon dioxide has to be separated first. Fateme Rezaei , professor of biochemical engineering at Missouri S&T, is working on a fuel tank that could be put on a car, truck or farm implement that would separate the carbon dioxide and make the methane available to be burned to power the vehicle. “We are able to store biogas in our tank and we are able to separate CO2 and methane on board,” Rezaei said. The research funded in part by a $550,000 grant from the National Science Foundation is in the early stages, but has attracted the attention of a North Carolina-based https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/researcher-working-way-pump-biogas-directly-your-farm-implements 985 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Mon, 29 Mar 2021 21:22:56 +0000 Researcher Working On Way To Pump Biogas Directly Into Your Farm Implements Jonathan Ahl Using electronic tags to track livestock is widespread in Europe. Proponents say it helps prevent and contain food-borne illnesses, but the idea is finding a mixed and often chilly reception in the United States. Radio frequency identification, or RFID tags, can be put on an animal’s ear similar to the metal id clips currently used to identify animals and track them for inventory and health purposes. But the RFID chips send out a signal, which is captured by a reader that uploads information into a database. They are in common use in industries ranging from logistics to amusement parks. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/electronic-tracking-livestock-has-many-opponents-us-0 980 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Wed, 17 Mar 2021 15:37:14 +0000 Electronic Tracking Of Livestock Has Many Opponents In The US Jonathan Ahl Midwest states including Missouri, Iowa and Illinois are updating the way they teach farmers to safely use pesticides, with the goals of making it easier for them to get the training and to keep the process under state control. In Missouri, such training usually happened through in-person classes that included watching videos so old they are on VHS tapes. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/state-agriculture-departments-look-update-pesticide-training 972 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Wed, 24 Feb 2021 21:47:27 +0000 State Agriculture Departments Look To Update Pesticide Training Jonathan Ahl Several large meat processing companies recently settled price-fixing lawsuits, but it’s unlikely those payments will change much in the food business, experts say. Tyson agreed to a $221.5 million settlement with three consumer and purchasing groups that filed suit against the poultry giant. Chicken producer Pilgrim’s Pride and pork company JBS also settled similar complaints. A series of studies at Purdue University show it’s less expensive for companies to continue price fixing and pay fines instead of reforming their practices. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/price-fixing-settlements-meat-industry-not-likely-change-system 964 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Thu, 04 Feb 2021 16:40:14 +0000 Price-Fixing Settlements In Meat Industry Not Likely To Change The System Jonathan Ahl While president-elect Joe Biden has been under pressure to choose a very diverse and forward-thinking cabinet, he’s gone back in time for his nomination to be Secretary of Agriculture. His pick, Tom Vilsack, served in that position for all eight years of the Obama administration. And while some see the choice as safe and a good compromise, others from both sides of the political spectrum are not happy. “I was not impressed with Vilsack,” said Darvin Brantledge, a cattle and corn farmer who owns a 1,200-acre plot of land in western Missouri and who voted for Biden. “He (Vilsack) had listening sessions where he wanted to listen to the farmers, but they more or less turned into his promotion toward more corporate control,” Brantledge said. Adding fuel to that criticism is Vilsack taking a job leading the U.S. Dairy Export Council after leaving Obama’s cabinet. That trade group is seen as an ally to large producers. But Trump supporters are just as upset with the choice. Larry Sailer, a https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/biden-compromises-usda-vilsack-pleasing-few 951 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Fri, 11 Dec 2020 22:36:48 +0000 Biden Compromises At USDA With Vilsack, Pleasing Few Jonathan Ahl Many families are heeding the advice of health officials and inviting fewer people to Thanksgiving dinner. The trend has hurt turkey sales, especially for national producers. But small organic and free-range turkey farmers may be faring better because of a loyal customer base that may be sticking closer to home than usual. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/thanksgiving-will-look-different-year-small-turkey-farmers-say-theyll-be-ok 943 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Thu, 19 Nov 2020 21:37:06 +0000 Thanksgiving Will Look Different This Year, But Small Turkey Farmers Say They'll Be OK Jonathan Ahl Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis are looking at the controversial weed killer dicamba, specifically how its molecules bond with other chemicals that are applied to fields at the same time. The belief is that how those hydrogen bonds form, or don’t form, could lead to a chemical fix to the problem of dicamba drifting away from where it's applied on to other fields. Dicamba has come under criticism for years for killing crops, vegetables and houseplants miles away from where it is applied to crops, specifically soybeans and cotton. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/research-suggests-key-stopping-dicamba-drift-molecular-level 942 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Fri, 13 Nov 2020 21:26:22 +0000 Research Suggests The Key To Stopping Dicamba Drift Is At The Molecular Level Jonathan Ahl A joint effort by federal and state governments to help small meatpacking plants increase their capacity is encountering some bumps. Earlier this year, COVID-19 outbreaks as large slaughterhouses and meat processing plants led to temporary closures. That resulted in higher prices and meat shortages at grocery stores, which in turn led some consumers to look at local meat from small, mostly rural processing plants. While that demand was good for the industry, it also overtaxed the small processors’ ability to keep up. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/state-and-federal-efforts-help-small-meatpacking-plants-may-take-time 940 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:28:48 +0000 State And Federal Efforts To Help Small Meatpacking Plants May Take Time Jonathan Ahl The U-S Department of Agriculture is projecting farm income will increase significantly this year, but that’s only because of an unprecedented amount of government payments that could top $40 billion. The latest Farm Income Report from the USDA shows net farm will total $102 billion, a 23% increase over last year. But 36% of that money is coming from federal subsidies intended to make up for coronavirus losses. Without that aid, net farm income would be down more than $10 billion this year. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/farmers-have-more-money-their-pockets-thanks-government-aid 925 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Fri, 09 Oct 2020 21:24:40 +0000 Farmers Have More Money In Their Pockets Thanks To Government Aid Jonathan Ahl Farmers are looking closely at what they might be able to expect from four more years of Donald Trump versus a Joe Biden administration, but they aren't finding a lot of solid answers. And any difference may not matter, anyway. To evaluate Donald Trump’s agriculture position, the best evidence is his actions and policies over the past 3 1/2 years. The highlight of that time has been creating a series of tariffs that has led to retaliation and a trade war with China and other countries, largely hurting foreign markets for farmers. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/plans-agriculture-differ-issue-unlikely-sway-presidential-election 924 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Wed, 07 Oct 2020 21:47:45 +0000 Plans For Agriculture Differ, But That Issue Is Unlikely To Sway The Presidential Election Jonathan Ahl Dairy Farmers want U.S. trade policy to focus on opening markets and fending off competition from the European Union and New Zealand. U.S. dairy exports were up about 10% in the first half of 2020 compared to last year. But that’s not enough to return the sector to profitability, according to dairy farmers and producers that are participating in a series of virtual town hall meetings on trade issues. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/us-dairy-farmers-want-help-expand-trade 915 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Thu, 17 Sep 2020 18:37:52 +0000 U.S. Dairy Farmers Want Help To Expand Trade Jonathan Ahl While small, craft breweries in the Midwest pride themselves on being hyperlocal and producing high-quality beers, there is an essential ingredient — hops — they can’t get locally. But that could soon change. The hop is the flower part of a family of vines, and how much and what kind you add determines how the beer tastes. Hops grow best in arid climates with short days. The long days and high humidity of the Midwest make it difficult to grow them in the region. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/midwest-grown-hops-could-flavor-craft-beer 906 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Wed, 02 Sep 2020 20:59:24 +0000 Midwest Grown Hops Could Flavor Craft Beer Jonathan Ahl Two Professors at Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla are working on using soybean oil to replace a mixture of water and petroleum in industrial metal cutting. The fluid is needed to lubricate and cool metals in industries including automotive, aerospace and medical manufacturing. Right now, it takes buckets of the oil-water mix to do the job, and the researchers think they can replace that with just a few drops of soybean oil. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/researchers-looking-soybean-oil-improve-industrial-metal-cutting 899 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Sat, 22 Aug 2020 16:24:39 +0000 Researchers Looking To Soybean Oil To Improve Industrial Metal Cutting Jonathan Ahl Invasive plants such as blackberries and kudzucan turn a field from a grassy habitat for turkeys and quail into an overgrown thicket. But removing them -- particularly within a vast forest -- can be expensive or even harmful to the environment. “They create a large canopy. They compete for nutrients. And then they push out and eliminate a lot of the desirable native species that we have,” said Brian Davidson, who manages the botany and invasive species program at the Mark Twain National Forest, three million acres of land spread out across southern Missouri in the Ozarks region. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/national-forest-missouri-goats-take-care-invasive-plants 898 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Fri, 14 Aug 2020 15:27:53 +0000 At This National Forest In Missouri, Goats Take Care Of The Invasive Plants Jonathan Ahl Chris Bohr’s farm in Martinsburg, Missouri, has hundreds of acres of soybeans and corn. It also has a 5,000 head hog barn that requires a lot of electricity to power its ventilation system, cooling fans and lights. About fifty yards away from the barn are three rows of solar panels. Bohr is among a growing number of farmers that are generating solar power to meet their needs. Bohr received a Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP, grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to help pay for his solar panels. And the number of farmers applying for the grants is going up. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/farmers-increasingly-look-solar-power-their-operations 896 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Wed, 05 Aug 2020 20:51:23 +0000 Farmers Increasingly Look To Solar To Power Their Operations Jonathan Ahl Missouri and Oklahoma are both trying to help reduce the supply chain problems in the meat industry seen during the coronavirus pandemic by directing federal grant dollars to meatpacking plants. Coronavirus outbreaks at meatpacking plants led to shortages and higher prices. “During COVID-19, our food supply was tested from farm to fork. Farmers and ranchers saw tight livestock supplies on their farms, while consumers saw their choices of certain cuts of meat shrink or go away,” said Chris Chinn, Director of the MIssouri Department of Agriculture. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/states-look-federal-coronavirus-funds-help-meatpackers 895 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Wed, 29 Jul 2020 21:36:28 +0000 States Look To Federal Coronavirus Funds To Help Meatpackers Jonathan Ahl National forests, including Mark Twain in the Missouri Ozarks, saw big crowds over the 4th of July holiday weekend, proving to be a popular destination for leisure activities while coronavirus concerns remain. While forest office staff are still working from home because of pandemic concerns, the campgrounds, bathrooms and other public areas and facilities started opening to visitors in mid to late June. National forests in the region are still accumulating data, but are reporting full campgrounds over the Independence Day holiday and full parking lots during the day. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/national-forests-hoping-be-destinations-during-coronavirus-uncertainty 886 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Mon, 13 Jul 2020 19:15:25 +0000 National Forests Hoping To Be Destinations During Coronavirus Uncertainty Jonathan Ahl When Nick Girondo of Rolla, Missouri, first looked at his family calendar this spring, he struggled to find a time to get everyone out turkey hunting during the 22-day season. “With sports and other things going on, we probably would have got out one day at the most, the way planning was going with family events,” he said. But when the coronavirus pandemic came to the Midwest, those events were canceled, so the family went hunting instead. https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/amid-coronavirus-pandemic-more-midwesterners-headed-outside-hunt 880 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Thu, 02 Jul 2020 12:53:20 +0000 Amid The Coronavirus Pandemic, More Midwesterners Headed Outside To Hunt Jonathan Ahl Rural hospitals have been planning for the arrival of the coronavirus, but the preparations for a virus that may not come are putting some already struggling rural hospitals in danger. Mike Gruenberg, director of disaster preparedness at Salem Memorial Hospital, a 25-bed critical access care facility, said getting ready for coronavirus patents meant making major changes. “We don’t usually admit patients on ventilators, so usually those kind of patients we would send to the urban facilities,” he said. “We have had to change our way of dealing with that. We have some extra ventilators in-house. We are able to keep these patients.” The hospital, located in a town of about 5,000 about 125 miles southwest of St. Louis, set up special rooms to treat COVID-19 patients, bought more protective equipment like gowns and masks, and canceled all elective and non-emergency procedures to avoid cross-contamination of coronavirus to other patients. The hospital tested more than 50 patients with https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/already-struggling-rural-hospitals-now-deal-coronavirus-challenges 861 as https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org Tue, 12 May 2020 01:35:31 +0000 Already Struggling Rural Hospitals Now Deal With Coronavirus Challenges