Luke Runyon
Reporter
Luke Runyon is Harvest Public Media's reporter based at KUNC in northern Colorado.
Stories by Luke Runyon
As High-Tech Farms Take Hold, Can Farm Towns Hold On?
Brandon Biesemeier climbs up a small ladder into a John Deere sprayer, takes a seat in the enclosed cab, closes the door, and blocks out most of the machine’s loud engine hum. It is a familiar perch to the fourth-generation farmer on Colorado’s eastern plains. He turns onto a country road, heading south to spray…
Rural Groups Push Against Proposed Cuts To USDA Spending
Farm and rural advocacy groups say cuts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture in President Donald Trump’s proposed budget would harm rural communities, at a time when many of them need an infusion of cash. In what’s being called a “skinny budget” because it sets an outline and contains scant details, Trump’s proposal calls for…
The Meaning Of Milk: A War Over Words Erupts In The Dairy Aisle
A war is brewing over what you pour on your breakfast cereal. Dairy farmers say the makers of plant-based milks – like almond milk, soy milk and a long list of other varieties – are stealing away their customers and deceiving consumers. And they’d like the federal government to back them up. At its heart,…
Colorado Startup Tries Cutting Food Waste With Garbage-Munching Bugs
Americans waste a staggering amount of food. Instead of letting it rot and wreck the environment, some entrepreneurs want to put it to work feeding insects, and see the potential to revolutionize how we feed some of the livestock that provide us our meat. Phil Taylor’s enthusiasm for insects is infectious. The University of Colorado…
These Colorado Veterans Are Finding Peace On The Farm
Ben and Leticia Ward’s farm in Fountain, Colorado, just outside Colorado Springs, doesn’t look like an army base. But it’s not hard to uncover whiffs of military influence at Little Roman Farm. A stack of sturdy fiberglass bins next to a greenhouse seem benign, ready to be put to use as brooding bins for chickens…
Why You Should Care About ‘Big Ag’ Companies Getting Bigger
Five of the six biggest companies that produce and sell seeds and chemicals to the world’s farmers are pursuing deals that could leave a market dominated by just three giant, global companies. They say getting bigger means bringing more sophisticated and innovative solutions to farmers faster, but opponents say consolidation has irreversible downsides. Dow and…
Watching Our Water | How Are Nitrates Ending Up In Drinking Water Supplies?
Contaminated drinking water isn’t just a problem for Flint, Michigan. Many towns and cities across the Midwest and Great Plains face pollution seeping into their water supplies. A big part of the problem: farming and ranching. Farmers spread nitrogen- and phosphorous-based fertilizers on their fields to help their crops grow. Excess nutrients, though, can leach…
Can The ‘Airbnb Of Kitchens’ Give Local Food Economies A Boost?
The hardest part of starting a new food business should be in perfecting the secret recipe. For many entrepreneurial cooks though, the tough times come when searching for a space to legally make and sell their food. Commercial kitchen space, with stainless steel counters, industrial appliances meeting food safety regulations and appropriately-sized sinks, can be…
When Water Is More Valuable Than Crops, Farms Struggle To Compete With Thirsty Cities
Few things are more valuable to a farmer in the arid West than irrigation water. Without it, the land turns back into its natural state: dry, dusty plains. If a fast-growing city is your neighbor, then your water holds even more value. Farm families in Western states like California and Colorado are increasingly under pressure…
This Midwest Lab Breeds Pest-Killing Bugs
The Colorado Department of Agriculture is killing pests dead, without the aid of chemicals. Halfway down a dead-end road in the small farming town of Palisade, Colorado, is the research facility known as “The Insectary.” Scientists at the lab develop “biocontrol insects,” insects adapted to attacking bugs and plants harmful to agriculture. Colorado’s Insectary is…