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. Amy’s work has earned awards from SPJ, the Alaska Press Club and the Massachusetts/Rhode Island AP. Her stories have aired on NPR news programs such as Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Weekend Edition and on Only A Game, Marketplace and Living on Earth. She produced the 2011 documentary Peace Corps Voices, which aired in over 160 communities across the country and has written for The New York Times, Boston Globe, Real Simple and other print outlets. Amy served on the board of directors of the Association of Independents in Radio from 2008-2015.
Amy has a bachelor’s degree in Latin American Studies from Wellesley College and a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley.
Amy’s favorite public radio program is The World.
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Many agriculture companies rely on the island's climate for the research and development of commercial corn, soybean and other seeds grown in the U.S. But the storm wiped out needed infrastructure. -
President Trump's nominee for chief scientist at the Department of Agriculture is drawing scrutiny and skepticism in part because the nominee doesn't have a scientific background.
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Sam Clovis has a doctorate in public administration, is skeptical that humans have a role in climate change and pushed theories suggesting former President Barack Obama was born in Kenya. -
Some farmers are grazing different types of animals on the same land in a carefully controlled pattern, which ideally will enhance animal welfare and also help regenerate the landscape. -
If confirmed, agriculture secretary nominee Sonny Perdue confronts an industry in search of stability. In the Corn Belt, farmers wonder about the government programs they rely on. -
The people working on farms and elsewhere in agriculture often don't reflect the nation's demographics. Changing that is becoming a priority, in hopes that new people will bring fresh ideas. -
Because of unstable milk prices, small-dairy owners are also selling artisanal cheeses to help them stay afloat. The idea is catching on — in Iowa, the number of on-farm cheese-makers has doubled. -
Traditional gender roles on farms are changing, but slowly. While men are typically still in charge of operations, women are beginning to take on greater leadership. -
The Student Organic Farm at Iowa State sends out CSA boxes to the local community — and of course, it gives students a chance to enjoy the (fresh, organic) fruits of their own labor. -
Farming is entering its third year on the bust side of the cycle. Major crop prices are low, while expenses like seed, fertilizer and land remain high. That means getting creative to succeed.
