Oregon is one of the leading U.S. states for peppermint and spearmint production, accounting for 30 and 22% of the nation’s output, respectively. In 2024, more than 8,000 ac of peppermint and spearmint were harvested across Oregon, yielding over 1.6 million lb of oil. Weeds represent a major challenge to mint production, reducing both crop biomass and oil quality. Understanding current weed management challenges, as well as the resource and information needs of stakeholders, is critical for guiding research, extension, and education efforts for effective weed management. To support this effort, a statewide weed management needs assessment survey was conducted in 2025 to identify key challenges and priorities among Oregon’s mint stakeholders.

• The Ogallala Aquifer is a vital water source for agriculture and drinking across the High Plains. Historical agricultural practices—combined with slow regeneration—are rapidly depleting groundwater across the region.
   

• Some High Plains states are trying to slow down groundwater depletion by reducing water use across the Ogallala. One such program, named Local Enhanced Management Areas, or LEMAs, is catching the eye of water managers across the region for its uniquely local approach to water conservation.
   

• While LEMAs have shown promise in stabilizing water use in some Kansas regions, broader adoption across the High Plains faces legal, cultural, and climatic challenges, highlighting the need for adaptable, community-driven water policies.

• Earn 1.5 CEUs in Soil & Water Management by reading this article and taking the quiz.

What transforms a space into a place of meaning and connection? Increasingly, the answer lies in the relationships that span across generations. In agriculture, where ties between people and land run deep, these connections enrich family life, strengthen community, and support long-term farmland stewardship.

Just before the July 4 holiday, Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, giving Republicans a major policy win by extending the 2017 tax cuts, boosting defense and immigration spending, rolling back clean energy investments, cutting Medicare and SNAP, and raising the debt ceiling by $5 trillion. The bill also made significant changes to agriculture and nutrition programs, adding $67 billion for farm programs and conservation while cutting SNAP funding by nearly $190 billion. Despite these changes, key parts of the farm bill remain unresolved and will need to be addressed later in the year through a "skinny" farm bill though bipartisan cooperation remains uncertain.