Agriculture

Food banks around the U.S. have been busier than usual in the past month. Produce for soup kitchens and pantries comes from several sources, including fields that are gleaned of excess crops, after farmers finish their harvest.

Vermont's hemp industry could be affected after Congress closed the "hemp loophole" created in the 2018 Farm Bill.

Migrating wild birds are spreading the virus to domesticated flocks, increasing the risk of eventually seeing a human outbreak. Scientists are troubled by the muted federal response.

Hundreds of local giant pumpkin growers race toward personal bests and heaviest weights. And this is their season. Their Super Bowl is the Topsfield Fair, when the best bring their giant pumpkins to compete for the title and the prize money.

Every year in the early weeks of fall, Aroostook County potato farmers race to dig up their fields before the first frosts hit. Since at least the 1940s, students get a break from school to help out during the busy season.

Some apple orchards across the state are reporting an unusually light apple crop this fall. Others say their late varieties are faring well.

Climate change is driving more challenging conditions for farmers. Growers throughout New Hampshire have been working to prepare for droughts, along with other extreme weather, for years.

Neonicotinoid insecticides will soon be banned from being used on Connecticut lawns and golf courses.

Vermont saw a wetter and cooler than average spring this year. That had some local businesses bemoaning the weather, but was good news for strawberry growers.

Nearly 20,000 Granite Staters are in 4-H, a program they say teaches them to manage their time and money and provides them a chance to tackle challenges on their own.