Charlie Besher and his wife raise cattle in two southeast Missouri counties. They’re among a growing population of producers who say they are losing calves and mother cows to black vultures that target soft tissues, such as the eyeballs and anus, until an animal dies or must be put down. 

Patricia Powers went a few years without health insurance and was unable to afford regular doctor visits. So the Missouri resident, who lives near St. Louis, had no idea that cancerous tumors were silently growing in both of her breasts.

Children’s mental health is a big concern as the risk of suicide and opioid addiction rates rise among teens. But in rural areas, where mental health providers are scarce, spotting potential  problems can often fall to teachers. Now, a new national research center is looking to help rural schools.

Dicamba, the controversial herbicide used on soybeans and cotton, is responsible for thousands of acres of damaged crops in recent years. Experts say that despite new federal rules that go into effect in 2019, the drift will continue but the victims will be different.

The devastating Camp Fire in the national forests in California has brought new attention to climate change and the management of national forests. Midwest forest managers say they have been able to keep fires under control, and will continue to do so even as the region gets warmer.