From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. The United States Senate recently voted to cut a program that makes $5 billion a year in direct payments to farmers. But the Senate agreed to add new subsidies that critics say could hurt farmers in other countries. The vote was part of a $955 billion farm bill approved […]
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. Students at the University of Virginia have developed a new way of purifying water. They say it could bring improvedwater quality to millions of people in the developing world. They called it MadiDrop. Field testing begins recently in South Africa. The laboratory in which the MadiDrop is made operates like […]
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. Kenyan farmers say a British ban on the plant known as khat will seriously affect their businesses and economy. Exports of khat, also called miraa, are worth a lot of money to Kenya. The farmers have exported the plant mainly to European countries and Somalia. Khat is grown in […]
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. Some people say eating hot chili peppers can help you breathe easier if you have a cold. Others believe that chilies give you more energy. All we know is that people have been growing chilies for centuries. And there are plenty of different kinds of chili peppers to choose from. […]
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. Farmers in the United States are experiencing two big problems. There is a shortage of people to work in their fields. The workers they do have are mostly from Latin America. But many have entered the country with false documents. Farmers say that without immigration reform, both problems will continue. […]
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. On World Environment Day in June, the United Nations reported that at least one third of all food produced is wasted. The report came at a time when many people are concerned about how to feed a growing world population. In the United States, farmers who are struggling to earn […]
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. New studies have found that a chemical commonly used to fight plant disease is harming honeybees. Experts say the chemical may be partly to blame for the widespread loss of honeybees in the United States. The insects are important to farmers. When a honeybee lands on a flowering plant, pollen sticks to […]
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. Irrigation systems can make a big difference in agricultural production. Irrigation can also improve the lives of farm families. However, a new study says bringing water to dry areas can also spread malaria. The study describes how irrigation water can lead to an increase in malaria cases — an increase […]
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutritional disorder in the world. People with the condition do not have enough red blood cells. As the name suggests, iron deficiency anemia results from a lack of iron. The World Health Organization says half the pregnant women and about 40 […]
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. Farms are spreading to unused city lots and old properties across the United States. These urban farms grow crops in areas where people rarely buy fresh fruits and vegetables. They have the power to change what people eat. They also have the power to influence troubled neighborhoods. ECO […]