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a huge cloud of dust turns the skies orange as a John Deere implement harvests soybeans
Michael Conroy/AP

The 21st Show

Bitter harvest for Illinois soybean farmers

There's trouble for soybean farmers in Illinois and beyond. Drought conditions have made for a faster-than-average harvest, but a big problem remains the ongoing trade war and the lack of places for farmers to sell their beans. We’ll talk about that, how what’s happening in China and Argentina affects farmers in Illinois, and other headwinds for American agriculture.

collage including a portrait of Sergio Lemus wearing a back button-down shirt with a red necktie; and the cover of the book
Portrait: Texas A&M University / Book: University of Illinois Press

The 21st Show

‘Los Yarderos’ explores lives of Mexican yard workers in the Midwest

Here in the Midwest, many of the landscapers who mow our lawns, trim our trees, and rake our leaves are Mexican immigrants. Anthropologist Sergio Lemus writes about his experience with that work, and the stories and struggles of those who come to America seeking a better life. His new book “Los Yarderos: Mexican Yard Workers in Transborder Chicago.”