Explore the full body of work produced through CAST’s Inform, Convene, and Guide programs — peer-reviewed publications, policy briefs, lab reports, multimedia content, and more.

Latest Resources
In this Voices of Agriculture piece, Julia Valliant explores the growing challenges of farm succession planning, the risks of delaying those conversations, and the critical role advisors and communities play in helping preserve family farms, support new farmers, and strengthen the future of America’s food system....
In this CAST webinar, Florence Becot, PhD, walks through what the research shows about mental health and well-being in agriculture, the structural and social factors that explain these challenges, and what responses at the community and policy levels are making a difference....
On May 6, 2026, CAST released Integrated Management of Fire-Adapted Invasive Plants That Change Wildfire Regimes live during a free public webinar. The recording is now available to watch in full....
The session featured Dr. Hans Bethge (PhenoLytics GmbH) on digital phenotyping and AI-assisted media design in plant tissue culture, and Matthew Gruner (University of Nevada, Reno) on integrating connectome data from fruit flies and ants with cross-species single-cell atlases....

By Stephanie Wetter Director of Animal Welfare, National Pork Board I did not grow up in agriculture. Everything I know about pork production, I had to learn as an adult. I found pigs in college through animal science, and what started as curiosity became a career. I was drawn not...

Lyle Cowell, senior agronomist at Nutrien, walked through the eKonomics Input Planning and Dry Fertilizer calculators and gave a guided tour of the eKonomics platform....
In this Voices of Agriculture, Melissa Merlau Johnson of Corteva Agriscience argues that scientists must move beyond facts alone — and start building trust through human connection....
CAST and the Diverse Corn Belt Project presented a free webinar on April 14, 2026, featuring Diversifying the Corn Belt: Policy Pathways for a Resilient Agricultural Future — a policy brief built on three years of research with 725 farmers and 178 stakeholders across Illinois, Iowa and Indiana....
The Corn Belt’s corn–soy dominance has delivered productivity, but it has also left farmers, rural communities, and food systems increasingly vulnerable. Drawing on insights from farmers and agricultural stakeholders across Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana, this article explores how diversified cropping systems—supported by smarter policy and stronger markets—can build a more...
Water is the backbone of farming and ranching in the Southern High Plains, yet it is becoming increasingly unreliable. While producers have long adapted to dry conditions, today’s challenges—declining aquifers, prolonged drought, and rising competition for water—are outpacing traditional solutions....
In Episode 5 of the CAST Pulse Podcast, CAST's Programs and Engagement Manager Kaylee Kleitsch sits down with Alan Norden, Secretary of the Minor Use Foundation Board of Directors....
Ray Starling, chair of the CAST Strategic Advisory Council, makes the case for a National Academy of Agriculture — and explains why rebuilding institutional trust is the first step....