September 2026 Issue

Contents

Sep 2026 • Issue #663

Photo: TOC photo (Courtesy of James Lake Farms) — Harvested organic cranberries from James Lake Farms in northern Wisconsin are ready to go to the processing facility. Read about their agronomic and marketing practices on page 28.

FEATURES 

Food Partners
A local food hub — made up of a whole cast of actors — can support farmers while helping make communities healthier
BY MARTY TRAVIS

Cran-Organic
James Lake Farms in northern Wisconsin has figured out the art and science of organic cranberry production
BY ANNELIESE ABBOTT

Supply Shocking — But Not
Supply shocks are only a huge problem for those addicted to chemical fertilizers
BY MARK SHEPARD

There’s No Substitute for Soil Function
Compost can help farming systems build soil function over time — when it is treated as a soil amendment rather than a fertilizer substitute
BY CRAIG HARTSOUGH

Farm-storing Up Value
A Michigan farm family builds a thriving operation by layering livestock, a farm store, events, and social media into a cohesive business model
BY CLAIRE SMITH

DEPARTMENTS

VIEW FROM THE COUNTRY
Monthly musings from Acres U.S.A.’s editor

OPINION
The GMO-trait Treadmill
Is GMO technology and market power morphing into a deal with the devil?
BY CHARLES BENBROOK

ECO-UPDATE
News in brief on developments in agronomic science

REGEN AGRONOMY
Unlock the Potential
Total digestive assays detect potential, but biology is needed to release the nutrients trapped in your soil
BY REBEKAH BURROWS 

INTERVIEW
Guardians of the Nation’s Health
David Stelzer talks with John Kempf about how Azure Standard was founded, the huge demand for organic and regeneratively grown food, and why farmers are so important for our country

REVIEWS

MARKETPLACE

CLASSIFIEDS

ECO-MEETINGS

ECO-GRAPHIC