The Russian invasion of Ukraine six months ago led to worries that people worldwide would go hungry. Crops like wheat remained stuck in blockaded ports. With only so much farmland in the United States, farmers could not do much to meet the new demand. But that may be changing. Earlier this summer, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA, started new policies to urge American farmers to grow two crops, one after another, on one piece of land. The practice is known as double cropping. The USDA changed insurance rules to lessen the risk of growing two crops. By doing this, the USDA hopes to greatly increase the amount of wheat that U.S. farmers can grow every year. That will reduce dependence on big wheat producers like Ukraine and Russia and increase supplies. The idea has not received widespread attention. As autumn arrives, it is unclear how many farmers plan to try double cropping. But some farmers who already grow two crops say it is something others should consider.
