Amy Mayer
Amy Mayer is a reporter based in Ames. She covers agriculture and is part of the Harvest Public Media collaboration. Amy worked as an independent producer for many years and also previously had stints as weekend news host and reporter at WFCR in Amherst, Massachusetts and as a reporter and host/producer of a weekly call-in health show at KUAC in Fairbanks, Alaska. Amy’s work has earned awards from SPJ, the Alaska Press Club and the Massachusetts/Rhode Island AP. Her stories have aired on NPR news programs such as Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Weekend Edition and on Only A Game, Marketplace and Living on Earth. She produced the 2011 documentary Peace Corps Voices, which aired in over 160 communities across the country and has written for The New York Times, Boston Globe, Real Simple and other print outlets. Amy served on the board of directors of the Association of Independents in Radio from 2008-2015.
Amy has a bachelor’s degree in Latin American Studies from Wellesley College and a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley.
Amy’s favorite public radio program is The World.
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Porcine epidemic diarrhea, or PED, virus has killed about 1 million baby pigs in the U.S. since April. Its effect on the pork industry is small so far, but analysts say it could send pork prices rising if it isn't controlled. -
Pork producers looking for more financial stability than the commodity market affords are trying their luck with specialty hog breeds. These pigs, raised on small farms, with limited antibiotics, cost more to raise but fetch more at market. And many say they make for tastier pork.
