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Amy Mayer

Amy Mayer is a reporter based in Ames. She covers agriculture and is part of the Harvest Public Media collaboration. Amy worked as an independent producer for many years and also  previously had stints as weekend news host and reporter at WFCR in Amherst, Massachusetts and as a reporter and host/producer of a weekly call-in health show at KUAC in Fairbanks, Alaska. Amyââââ

The Salt
1:57 pm
Mon April 29, 2013

Pork Producers Root Out Market Niche With Berkshire Pigs

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Credit Amy Mayer / Iowa Public Radio
Berkshire pigs on Happy Hula Farm, a member of the Eden Farms collective.
Credit Amy Mayer / Iowa Public Radio
Noel Texeira and his wife and two sons raise Berkshire pigs on Happy Hula Farm, part of the Eden Farms hog collective.
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Originally published on Mon April 29, 2013 3:08 pm

Raising pork can be a tough business for producers, who've lately been watching feed prices rise along with the cost of corn. That's one reason why a small but growing number of former commodity pork producers are trying their luck with specialty breeds instead. These premium pigs, raised on small farms with methods that appeal to consumers, can also fetch a premium price.

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Business
4:47 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Farmers Cautious Of Drought-Resistant Seeds

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Originally published on Wed October 17, 2012 8:31 am

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Here in the United States, the corn harvest is nearly complete. It was earlier and much smaller than in recent years, which means stockpiles are lower and prices will likely be higher. Now, while this summer's drought is largely to blame, the dry weather did offer perfect conditions to test drought-resistant corn. As Iowa Public Radio's Amy Mayer reports, seed companies and farmers are now crunching the yield numbers to see what these new varieties could mean in coming years.

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