The Food & Environment Reporting Network
@thefern.org
The Food & Environment Reporting Network (FERN) produces independent, non-profit journalism at the intersection of food, agriculture, and the environment.
Pinned
American food politics are a mess, and ordinary people are struggling to figure out who is in charge, what they’re up to, and why. Forked hosts Helena Bottemiller Evich and Theodore Ross cut through the confusion, providing context and analysis.
In the latest FERN story, a collaboration with Rolling Stone, a small-town county commissioner in Oregon named Jim Doherty discovered that industrial farming combined with a demand for data centers contributed to the presence of toxic nitrates in well water across the county. Link below ⬇️
November 26, 2025 at 4:06 PM
In the latest FERN story, a collaboration with Rolling Stone, a small-town county commissioner in Oregon named Jim Doherty discovered that industrial farming combined with a demand for data centers contributed to the presence of toxic nitrates in well water across the county. Link below ⬇️
What if hatcheries—once thought of as the solution to dwindling salmon runs—are actually an ocean-wide ecological problem?
November 26, 2025 at 3:15 PM
What if hatcheries—once thought of as the solution to dwindling salmon runs—are actually an ocean-wide ecological problem?
In a part of rural Oregon in which large agricultural operations are a crucial driver of the economy, massive data center construction by Amazon has supercharged a pollution problem related to chemicals in the community’s water supply.
November 25, 2025 at 3:17 PM
In a part of rural Oregon in which large agricultural operations are a crucial driver of the economy, massive data center construction by Amazon has supercharged a pollution problem related to chemicals in the community’s water supply.
Reposted by The Food & Environment Reporting Network
What if hatcheries—once thought of as the solution to dwindling salmon runs—are actually an ocean-wide ecological problem?
Explore the ripple effects in Trouble at Sea (thefern.org & alaskapublic.org).
📺 Nov. 25, 7 p.m. on Alaska Public Media TV
📲 Nov. 26 PBS app | alaskapublic.org | YouTube
Explore the ripple effects in Trouble at Sea (thefern.org & alaskapublic.org).
📺 Nov. 25, 7 p.m. on Alaska Public Media TV
📲 Nov. 26 PBS app | alaskapublic.org | YouTube
November 25, 2025 at 12:30 AM
What if hatcheries—once thought of as the solution to dwindling salmon runs—are actually an ocean-wide ecological problem?
Explore the ripple effects in Trouble at Sea (thefern.org & alaskapublic.org).
📺 Nov. 25, 7 p.m. on Alaska Public Media TV
📲 Nov. 26 PBS app | alaskapublic.org | YouTube
Explore the ripple effects in Trouble at Sea (thefern.org & alaskapublic.org).
📺 Nov. 25, 7 p.m. on Alaska Public Media TV
📲 Nov. 26 PBS app | alaskapublic.org | YouTube
We wanted to reach out with a quick note and update. Due to this week's worldwide Cloudflare outage, FERN’s donation page wasn’t working. Many organizations across the globe were affected, and unfortunately our giving page was one of them.
November 21, 2025 at 8:51 PM
We wanted to reach out with a quick note and update. Due to this week's worldwide Cloudflare outage, FERN’s donation page wasn’t working. Many organizations across the globe were affected, and unfortunately our giving page was one of them.
Farmed seafood has become a massive business worldwide, and American consumers have benefitted from the cheap overseas prices.
November 21, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Farmed seafood has become a massive business worldwide, and American consumers have benefitted from the cheap overseas prices.
“The rising demand for pet African grey parrots and the price for a single bird — as much as $7,000 — drive rampant poaching in the forests of West and Central Africa.” ⬇️
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-parrots-in-peril/
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-parrots-in-peril/
November 21, 2025 at 5:00 PM
“The rising demand for pet African grey parrots and the price for a single bird — as much as $7,000 — drive rampant poaching in the forests of West and Central Africa.” ⬇️
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-parrots-in-peril/
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-parrots-in-peril/
The MAHA movement has had surprising success at the state level. Will that translate into federal change?
November 18, 2025 at 6:10 PM
The MAHA movement has had surprising success at the state level. Will that translate into federal change?
This episode of Forked explores whether MAHA momentum in the states translates into actual policy change nationwide. Helena and Theodore hosted the first-ever Forked live taping, with two special guests. ⬇️
November 18, 2025 at 3:14 PM
This episode of Forked explores whether MAHA momentum in the states translates into actual policy change nationwide. Helena and Theodore hosted the first-ever Forked live taping, with two special guests. ⬇️
“Each one of us has a unique scent profile, like a fingerprint. Everything from our personality type – such as extroversion, dominance and neuroticism – to our mood and health affects the way we smell,” writes Sofia Quaglia. ⬇️
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-hot-food/
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-hot-food/
November 14, 2025 at 5:04 PM
“Each one of us has a unique scent profile, like a fingerprint. Everything from our personality type – such as extroversion, dominance and neuroticism – to our mood and health affects the way we smell,” writes Sofia Quaglia. ⬇️
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-hot-food/
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-hot-food/
FERN’s NewsMatch campaign is underway, our biggest fundraising effort of the year — and a moment when your support can make an even greater impact. We have $20,000 in matching funds waiting to be unlocked. But we only receive it if donors like you step up.
November 12, 2025 at 4:51 PM
FERN’s NewsMatch campaign is underway, our biggest fundraising effort of the year — and a moment when your support can make an even greater impact. We have $20,000 in matching funds waiting to be unlocked. But we only receive it if donors like you step up.
In this postscript to FERN’s special issue of High Country News, Food and Power in the West, Mary-Charlotte Domandi, host of Radio Café’s Down to Earth podcast, goes deep with writers Rick Bass and Laureli Ivanoff about their essays in the special issue.
November 11, 2025 at 2:43 PM
In this postscript to FERN’s special issue of High Country News, Food and Power in the West, Mary-Charlotte Domandi, host of Radio Café’s Down to Earth podcast, goes deep with writers Rick Bass and Laureli Ivanoff about their essays in the special issue.
Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow for our live taping of Forked happening in D.C. at 6pm!
THE EVENT IS SOLD OUT. But we will be releasing a podcast episode for it next week, on November 18th. So stay tuned for that! www.eventbrite.com/e/forked-pod...
THE EVENT IS SOLD OUT. But we will be releasing a podcast episode for it next week, on November 18th. So stay tuned for that! www.eventbrite.com/e/forked-pod...
November 10, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow for our live taping of Forked happening in D.C. at 6pm!
THE EVENT IS SOLD OUT. But we will be releasing a podcast episode for it next week, on November 18th. So stay tuned for that! www.eventbrite.com/e/forked-pod...
THE EVENT IS SOLD OUT. But we will be releasing a podcast episode for it next week, on November 18th. So stay tuned for that! www.eventbrite.com/e/forked-pod...
“An entire commercial mechanism will have whirred to life the moment you clicked ‘Place order,’” writes Ellen Cushing.
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-delivery-overload/
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-delivery-overload/
November 7, 2025 at 5:00 PM
“An entire commercial mechanism will have whirred to life the moment you clicked ‘Place order,’” writes Ellen Cushing.
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-delivery-overload/
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-delivery-overload/
Thanks to our generous NewsMatch partners and members of our own community, we have $20,000 in matching funds waiting to be unlocked. But we need your help!
November 5, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Thanks to our generous NewsMatch partners and members of our own community, we have $20,000 in matching funds waiting to be unlocked. But we need your help!
We are excited about next week's live taping of Forked happening in D.C.! Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 6 pm!
November 5, 2025 at 3:07 PM
We are excited about next week's live taping of Forked happening in D.C.! Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 6 pm!
The government shutdown means money is running out for SNAP. Who will come to its rescue?
November 4, 2025 at 6:08 PM
The government shutdown means money is running out for SNAP. Who will come to its rescue?
In this episode, Helena and Theodore look at how the federal government shutdown is pushing the SNAP program toward a fiscal cliff. Will either party do anything about it?
November 4, 2025 at 3:40 PM
In this episode, Helena and Theodore look at how the federal government shutdown is pushing the SNAP program toward a fiscal cliff. Will either party do anything about it?
“Part of the appeal at Mexican American chains like Chi-Chi’s … was simple … ,” writes Serena Maria Daniels. “They offered comfort ... But the energy … didn’t last.” ⬇️
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-its-2025-does-america-really-need-taco-salad-and-mexican-fried-ice-cream/
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-its-2025-does-america-really-need-taco-salad-and-mexican-fried-ice-cream/
October 31, 2025 at 3:59 PM
“Part of the appeal at Mexican American chains like Chi-Chi’s … was simple … ,” writes Serena Maria Daniels. “They offered comfort ... But the energy … didn’t last.” ⬇️
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-its-2025-does-america-really-need-taco-salad-and-mexican-fried-ice-cream/
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-its-2025-does-america-really-need-taco-salad-and-mexican-fried-ice-cream/
Exciting news! Buzzkill has won a Signal Award gold medal in the sustainability & environment category! 🌱
www.signalaward.com/winners/#202...
www.signalaward.com/winners/#202...
October 30, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Exciting news! Buzzkill has won a Signal Award gold medal in the sustainability & environment category! 🌱
www.signalaward.com/winners/#202...
www.signalaward.com/winners/#202...
In this postscript to FERN’s special issue of High Country News, Food and Power in the West, Mary-Charlotte Domandi, host of Radio Café’s Down to Earth podcast, goes deep with writers Rick Bass and Laureli Ivanoff about their essays in the special issue.
October 29, 2025 at 2:26 PM
In this postscript to FERN’s special issue of High Country News, Food and Power in the West, Mary-Charlotte Domandi, host of Radio Café’s Down to Earth podcast, goes deep with writers Rick Bass and Laureli Ivanoff about their essays in the special issue.
The CDC fired more than 1,000 people and then unfired most of them. Again. What happened?
October 28, 2025 at 3:00 PM
The CDC fired more than 1,000 people and then unfired most of them. Again. What happened?
In February, FERN senior editor Ted Genoways investigated how JBS, the world’s largest meat producer, came to rely on Haitian migrants and other refugees at its Greeley, Colorado plant—signaling an economic shift from undocumented labor to legal immigrant workers with precarious status.
October 28, 2025 at 2:09 PM
In February, FERN senior editor Ted Genoways investigated how JBS, the world’s largest meat producer, came to rely on Haitian migrants and other refugees at its Greeley, Colorado plant—signaling an economic shift from undocumented labor to legal immigrant workers with precarious status.
In the latest REAP/SOW Extra, FERN’s Theodore Ross talks with reporter Esther Honig about how refugee workers transformed Greeley, Colorado’s meatpacking industry — and the cultural and political ripple effects that followed.
October 26, 2025 at 6:30 PM
In the latest REAP/SOW Extra, FERN’s Theodore Ross talks with reporter Esther Honig about how refugee workers transformed Greeley, Colorado’s meatpacking industry — and the cultural and political ripple effects that followed.
“Growing up in India, I was hand-fed by my mother until I was six or seven years old. ... Being fed this way ... still feels like the most primal act of care,” writes Yamini Pathak. ⬇️
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-hand-to-mouth/
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-hand-to-mouth/
October 24, 2025 at 4:00 PM
“Growing up in India, I was hand-fed by my mother until I was six or seven years old. ... Being fed this way ... still feels like the most primal act of care,” writes Yamini Pathak. ⬇️
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-hand-to-mouth/
https://thefern.org/blog_posts/ferns-friday-feed-hand-to-mouth/