Rachel Cramer
Harvest Public Media ReporterExpertise: Telling stories about agriculture, environmental issues and rural communities
Education: Masters degree from the University of Montana, Bachelors degree from Iowa State University
Favorite Iowa Destination: Yellow River State Forest
Experience:
- Has written features on native prairie agriculture, management of bird flu and other disease outbreaks in animal populations, the agricultural industry and sustainability efforts in small towns in Iowa
- Served as a fellow with the International Water Management Institute in Sri Lanka, contributing to a photo story feature with The Guardian, about using latrine waste for compost in Bangladesh
- Launched Cobs & Spikes, a podcast focused on explainers, stories and conversations with experts innovating in the fields of agriculture, food security and nutrition
- Has reported and written features on the challenges and opportunities facing states with aging populations and state values and beliefs as it relates to voting
- Has produced features for Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Here & Now and Native News
- Served as a fellow with Crossing the Divide, a cross-country reporting road trip from WGBH and The GroundTruth Project
- Is an award-winning reporter, including a Best Spot News Coverage award from the AP in 2019 for "Threatening Video Tests Emergency Response Plan at Belgrade Schools"
My Latest Stories
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The Iowa chapter of the Land Improvement Contractors of America says the space will make it easier to educate the next generation of professional contractors, along with government employees, lawmakers and students, to help conserve soil and water in the state through edge-of-field practices. They're a key part of Iowa's strategy to reduce nutrient pollution. -
With the return of New World screwworm in the U.S., animal health experts say Iowans should carefully monitor livestock and pets and report suspicious signs. The larvae of the adult fly eat the living flesh of warm-blooded animals. -
An official review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement begins in July. President Trump already has suggested the U.S. would be better off without it. -
Every week on trash day, truckloads of waste are hauled off to three dozen landfills across the state. But some Iowa landfills are nearing the end of their lifespans, prompting communities to look elsewhere. -
In late April, the USDA confirmed five boars shipped from Texas to a farm in central Iowa had pseudorabies, which is highly contagious and often fatal for pigs. It marked the first case of the virus in commercial swine in the U.S. since 2004. -
Central Iowa Water Works — the regional water authority that serves one in five Iowans — has issued a lawn watering ban in the Des Moines area. It’s the result of a demand spike and consistently high nitrate levels in the rivers and other sources that provide water for the system. -
Iowa farmers and pork producers are urging the U.S., Mexico and Canada to renew a massive trade agreement in the coming weeks. Around 40% of Iowa’s goods are exported to the two countries, with corn, soybeans, ethanol and tractors at the top of the list. -
Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the state’s first so-called Iowa Farm Act, along with the appropriations bill for agriculture and natural resources. The legislation provides more funding for local food and water treatment plants. -
Mason City will host mountain biking novices, thrill-seekers and spectators at its first Prairie Rock Trails Bike Fest this weekend. The three-day event begins with a ribbon cutting for a new destination bike park. -
Corn growers in the Midwest are testing whether they can use less fertilizer and still maintain yields or improve their bottom line through on-farm research trials. The project is designed for producers who use practices to boost soil health.
