independent farmer

Symbiotic Relationships are the Key to Understanding Rural Vitality

These three new Homegrown Stories illustrate how symbiotic relationships make farming and ranching some of the most interconnected professions on the planet. Whether it’s the personal relationships between farmers and the people looking to eat healthy, local food, or the relationship … Continued

western native voice community organizer

Western Native Voice Community Spotlight: Patrick Yawakie

Meet Patrick Yawakie, community organizer, advocate, and founder of the #DecolonizeTurtleIsland grassroots movement. This month Western Native Voice visited with Patrick Yawakie in order to learn more about what inspires his activism and community involvement. Patrick is a food sovereignty … Continued

ranch calf sold checkoffq

The 10 Worst Checkoff Program Abuses

Huge corporations use Ag Checkoff Programs to lobby against family farmers. It’s time to change that. You may not know what a checkoff program is, but chances are, you’ve seen one. Checkoff programs are essentially government-created commodity research and promotion enterprises. … Continued

U.S. Capitol farm bill

Four things to know about the Farm Bill

How the 2018 Farm Bill impacts your table, your community, and our country. Chances are, you’ve seen a bit of news about the Farm Bill lately. There’s also a good chance that, especially if you’re not a farmer, you passed … Continued

coal drag line mining

BLM Fails to Change with Coal Market

Guest editorial lays out why the BLM’s approach to coal leasing lags behind both science and the coal market. The following piece was printed as a guest editorial in the Billings Gazette on May 4, 2018. The column, written by … Continued

Crimes against critical infrastructure bill

Riding the Wyoming Legislative Rollercoaster

Following the Crimes Against Critical Infrastructure Bill, which threatens 1st Amendment and property-owners’ rights, through the winding halls of the Wyoming Legislature. Legislation drafted by a consortium of the most powerful fossil fuel industries and corporate interests in the country … Continued

coal royalty loophole

5 graphs explain coal in Trump’s first year

This report is the result of a collaboration between Appalachian Voices and the Western Organization of Resource Councils to assess the effect of Trump Administration policies on economic growth in coal-producing regions. By Colin Lauderdale & Erin Savage One year … Continued