Coming up next on NewsDepth.

Israel and Hamas agree to a ceasefire.

There is an agricultural crisis affecting farmers.

Mary tells us about a few of our state's top crops And a library welcomes new visitors after going viral.

NewsDepth is now.

The war in Gaza appears to be halting.

Last week, Israel and Hamas agreed to phase one of a ceasefire plan.

Hello, everyone.

I'm Gabriel Kramer.

Thank you for joining us.

A ceasefire is when all sides agree to stop a war.

On October the 8th, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the ceasefire plan that was proposed to the United Nations by US President Donald Trump.

Israelis and Palestinians are already expressing excitement and joy.

The moment many have hoped and prayed for is finally here.

It is important to understand that the ceasefire is not a peace agreement, and experts say the road ahead is still a long and difficult one.

But as Amy Kiley reports, these first steps are already helping thousands.

[singing] This really is the end of the war.

Israel and Hamas say they have agreed to phase one of a ceasefire plan.

Many Israelis are expressing gratitude toward the U.S.. What we're witnessing is peace through pressure.

[singing] Reports out of Gaza say people there clapped and cheered at the news.

It's incredibly quiet from the skies.

Come on.

The United Nations says it will supply sustained humanitarian relief to Gazans.

Trump says other Mideast countries pledged to help with reconstruction.

I think Gazans will have massive relief as the war stops.

Experts say the next phase of the ceasefire plan will be harder to implement.

It speaks about, reconstruction Gaza.

It speaks about, an international security force.

All of those things are very complicated.

Thank you Amy.

Now onto some farming news.

Arkansas farmers this year are facing the worst agricultural economy the country has seen in decades.

Experts say if conditions don't improve, as many as one third of the state's farms may file for bankruptcy or close altogether.

Bankruptcy is a legal process that can help when a business or person has debt they cannot repay.

Andrew Mobley spoke with a farmer who, like many in Arkansas, is not sure how he can make it another year without emergency federal aid.

Brad Peacock is a fifth generation Arkansas farmer.

He started with 88 acres in 2012, and now has 1500 acres that he rents and farms on.

When you look at legacy and you think, my family's been doing this 100 years, I mean, just the grit and the determination that the generations before me had.

You weigh that like, Am I the last?

But grit and determination aren't enough anymore.

Farmers are now at the mercy of so many external forces that no matter how hard they work, no matter how good a crop they grow, it doesn't matter.

Incessant rain and a flooding White River earlier this year cost Peacock A corn crop and other fields some of his best soil.

Add to that high input costs made worse by inflation.

And it all means that row crop farmers like Peacock have little to no chance of breaking even this year.

So even if we cut the best crop, it doesn't stop the price dropping tomorrow.

Thankfully, there may be a little light at the end of the tunnel.

The Big Beautiful Bill contains direly needed updates to outdated safety net subsidies for farmers.

That should have come two years ago in a new federal farm bill.

With those increases in that bill, that's what's giving us the hope to go on, that if we can make it till then, we can make it.

But the problem is farmers won't see any of those federal dollars until November next year, and many of them likely won't make it that long without emergency federal funding in the interim, because most of their loans are due in February.

That doesn't do any good if your loan renews in February of 2026 and you can't pay it off.

You need to or you don't have the equity to pay it off.

Seeing the scale of the crisis, Arkansas's congressional delegation, led by Senate AG Committee chair Senator Boozman, are working to secure emergency funding to help farmers survive until the updated safety net kicks in.

But it's a race against time.

Farmers are already filing for bankruptcy, and some who have farmed for generations are quitting the business.

Peacock and his wife have a six year old son who already dreams of continuing the family legacy.

But will he even get the chance to?

Thank you.

Andrew.

Agriculture is a key part of Ohio's history and economy, dating back to Native Americans and early European settlers who grew crops like corn and beans.

Today, Ohio is a major producer of soybeans and corn used in food, animal feed, biofuels, and so much more.

Mary Fecteau has this week's Know Ohio all about the industry.

Boy, is anyone else hungry?

It's getting close to lunchtime.

And thankfully, I've got lots of delicious options.

But do you ever think about your food?

I mean, really think about it.

Almost everything we eat was grown for us by a farmer.

And it's not just our food.

Sometimes farmers had a hand in the clothes on our back and the fuel in our tanks.

Maybe some of you live on or near a farm.

So that wouldn't be too surprising, because guess what Ohio's number one industry is?

I hope you guessed farming because it's farming.

But when we talk about farming as an industry, we tend to call it agriculture.

That's just a fancy word for all the different types of farming, from raising animals to growing crops.

But farming is also one of Ohio's oldest professions.

Before Ohio even officially existed, the people who lived here made their living farming.

Ohio's Native Americans grew corn, beans, and all kinds of veggies like squash, sweet potatoes, and cabbage.

And the first European settlers in Ohio also took up the trade.

Before the 1800s, there was no Kroger or Giant Eagle.

If you wanted to eat something, you had to grow it yourself.

And that's exactly how the first Ohioans fed their families.

They raised wheat, corn, and other grain crops.

By 1849, Ohio produced more corn than any other state.

And that's still one of our top crops today.

But our number one crop is the soybean.

Soybeans and corn are number one and two because they're so versatile.

Even if you don't see these guys on your dinner plates, they can be used to feed animals or used to make biofuel sweeteners and cooking oils.

But we're coming up with new ways to use them every day, like in plastics and building materials.

If you've driven around our state, chances are you've seen one of these farms in action.

But sadly, the number of farms in our state is on the decline.

By the early 1900s, most Ohioans were living in urban areas.

And today, farmers as a group, are getting older and older.

Most farm owners in Ohio are over 65 years old.

And younger generations aren't embracing this way of life.

That's bad news for us because without farms, we have no local food source.

Because this way of life is slowly fading, the Ohio Department of Agriculture started honoring farms that have continued to operate.

The Century Farm program is meant to recognize the many contributions of family farms that have been around for over 100 years.

And we can do our part too.

A great way to support Ohio farmers is to head to a farmer's market.

There you can meet the farmers that grow your fruits and veggies and buy food directly from them.

My favorite thing to buy from my local farmers market is Ohio's official state fruit the tomato.

Sometimes it's fun for city folk like me to talk to farmers at the farmers market and maybe get some tips for my own sad, suffering garden.

It's a good thing Ohioans today don't need to grow their own food like they did hundreds of years ago.

With my black thumb of death, I'd probably starve.

Speaking of, lunchtime?

Ooh, that looks delicious.

And I'm getting hungry.

Thank you, Mary.

Back to the farm.

Let's see what NewsHound has found for this week's Petting Zoo.

Oh, hey, NewsHound!

Looks like you were pretty hungry, too.

What do you have there?

Some kibble.

Oh.

What else do you have?

A story too?

Well that's great.

What did you find for us this week?

Oh, cool.

You found a story about a goat show at a county fair that allowed individuals with physical or developmental disabilities be part of the show.

To see more about this inclusive goat show, click the Petting Zoo thumbnail at the bottom of this episode page.

Thanks for the story, NewsHound.

Now let's visit a different kind of farm, a shrimp farm in Nebraska.

Shrimp is certainly not a top export in landlocked Nebraska.

However, it's not impossible to raise the seafood in the Cornhusker State.

Grace McDonald introduces us to a teenager who built a small business doing just that on his family's farm.

On a farm near Cook, Nebraska.

19-year-old Nolan Wellensieck goes fishing.

You dip this in the water and, oh, we got one in there.

You don't typically see livestock like this in our triply-landlocked state.

So that vein is their large intestine.

So when I come in here to feed them, I pull some out.

And if there's a break in that vein, that means they were at a period in time they were not eating.

And if they're not eating, something's wrong.

Before the Pacific white legged shrimp ends up on your plate.

Nolan monitors the oxygen, temperature and other factors in this ecosystem he's rigged up in a swimming pool.

The more oxygen they have in there, the better they're going to do, and the faster they're going to grow.

Nolan Wellensieck orders 15,000 shrimp from a place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Then he moves them into this nursery on May 1st until the shrimp are large enough to be moved to the bigger tank behind me.

- Just grab it.

- Am picking it up?

- Just pick it... If you want to grab it.

- It's fine.

These are as big as the white of your pinky finger when you first get them?

Yeah, so.

But if I were to clip the white on my fingernail, that's how big they would be.

A small idea for a high school FFA project led to the big Red Shrimp Company.

Well, it kind of started off as a, looking for a way to go back to the National FFA convention.

Me and my dad were talking about it, talking about if you could do something with goats, cattle, sheep, hogs.

And then he said, well, you can grow shrimp.

At 17 years old, Nolan learned from a shrimp farmer in western Nebraska.

He's come a long way since his first harvest.

As his business grew, Nolan never actually competed with his shrimp in FFA.

He moved on to study mech systems as a part of the Engler Agribusiness entrepreneur program in Lincoln.

Pretty much my whole family grandpa, great uncle and my other uncles and father also farm.

That's kind of the main goal right now.

And then also, expand this and do this on the side.

With hopes of putting up a larger building.

Nolan is providing a fresh delicacy for his neighbors and serving a larger purpose on his family farm.

Nolan says most of his shrimp go straight to consumers, and that's why he's almost sold out for the year.

Great job Nolan.

I've always been impressed with students who have a bit of technical savvy, creativity, and an entrepreneur spirit.

An entrepreneur is a creative person with big ideas who starts their own business to solve a problem or make something new, taking on risks to make it successful.

The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well at Bay Village Middle School, where some students are enrolled in a business program called Launch Pad, which they are using to launch themselves into a bright future.

They are this week's A-plus award winners.

The students in Launch Pad are challenged to come up with a product and pitch it to the school's leadership team.

Once their products are greenlit for production, the teams of students have to design and create prototypes, come up with a marketing strategy, obtain their raw materials, and produce their products for the marketplace.

When we visited, we had the chance to meet with nine separate teams.

Goober Incorporated is manufacturing 3D printed fidgets.

They told us that the fidgets are a great item because they use them themselves to stay focused in class.

the 3D Case Crafters are using Tinkercad to create phone cases.

They told us that one of the big lessons they learned was that you can't shortcut on prototyping, because that step helps you perfect your product.

The Key Krafters are using the Glowforge to create Bay Athletics themed keychains and dog tags.

They told us that they were inspired by the many classmates that have tags on their book bags from past activities and competitions that they've participated in.

The Elegant Essentials are also using the Glowforge, but they're using it to create claw clips and charms for bracelets.

They told us that they are excited to share their claw clips with their classmates because they are a popular accessory.

Furry Friends are making yard flags and dog bandanas for their pets.

NewsHound gives that product two paws up!

Hat Harbor is making Bay Rocket themed hats.

They told us that they're working to make sure their hats print without wrinkles, because details matter.

The Big Noz is making jersey themed keychains, and this team even customizes their keychains for specific numbers.

The Poppers are creating umbrellas with Bay logos.

They told us that they were at a game a few weeks ago and got rained on.

Nothing like a product created out of a personal need and experience.

And of course, we want to give a big shout out to the JD Crafters who are making tote bags.

And they made one specifically for us.

This week's A-plus award goes to the Launch Pad students at Bay Middle School.

I mean, check out this craftsmanship.

Keep up the great work!

Now, let's get back to the farm.

The students in this next story are learning to use new tech for dairy farming.

Just north of a town called Wausau, is Wisconsin's Agriculture Center of Excellence.

And it's transforming the dairy farm with cutting edge AI.

AI, which many of you may already know, stands for artificial intelligence.

This agricultural center is the only working dairy farm and learning lab in the state.

Students here train in managing livestock and equipment while testing advanced technologies before they are rolled out to other farms across the state.

Tech, like AI powered milking robots, drones that monitor crops, and semi-autonomous tractors that can handle field work.

These innovations can improve animal care while also helping with labor shortages.

Nina Sparano is in the field Just north of Wausau, you'll find cows with a cutting edge AI.

This isn't just a farm.

It's the Agriculture Center of Excellence, the only working dairy farm and learning lab in the Wisconsin Technical College System.

Do what 402 is doing here.

Just doing her cud.

That's her.

Happy as we can get her.

Here students learn to manage cows, crops and equipment while new AI technology is tested and shared with farmers across the state.

So AI is changing farmer farming here because we're able to pull just tons and tons of data.

So off of our robots, we're able to talk to actually track cows and see slight changes in each of their utter production.

Milking robots can spot irregularities before farmers even know there's a problem.

Drones map entire fields, catching diseased crops from the sky and semiautonomous tractors doing the work without a hand on the wheel.

The newest experiment, an ingestible sensor inside the cow, measuring her temperature to a 10th of a degree.

That'll help us really help determine when the cow is ready to be bred, when she's going to have her calf, and even fluctuate throughout when she's drinking water and things like that.

But it makes a predictable algorithm so that we can still tell something's going on with that cow at point one of a degree Fahrenheit.

But AI isn't just about healthier cows.

It's also about the people who care for them.

I think it's going to really have a fit is when, you've got less, people coming to the dairies and and working for the dairy men, where you can get more cows through, on the farm with less help.

It'll help with the cost of the labor on, farms will also help with the efficiencies.

And farmers say this is just the start.

Electric tractors, autonomous robots, even power from methane.

It's what farmers call agriculture 4.0, where AI and autonomy are redefining dairy farming.

Agriculture 4.0.

Thank you.

Nina.

Well, that brings us to our write-to-us for the week.

We'd like to hear your ideas for other uses of AI.

How do you see artificial intelligence used in the future?

Students can use our inbox form online or send us an email to newsdepth@ideastream.org to share their answers.

Last episode, Zaria taught us about the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail and its rich history in Ohio.

We also learned how it has been turned into a modern day trail where people can hike, walk, and bike.

So what are your favorite hiking spots?

Julianna, from Saint Catherine of Siena School in Cincinnati, said: My favorite hiking spot is the Grand Canyon.

I have recently been in Arizona and I hike there.

I was born in Arizona.

my favorite place is the Grand Canyon because when I was younger, I hiked with my whole family.

I even saw the Colorado River.

I love being in my hometown with my family, so it's very fun to be in the bright sun with a little breeze.

What's also crazy is that I saw a rattlesnake!

The Grand Canyon.

That's incredible.

Thank you.

Julianna.

Charlotte from Buckeye Intermediate in my hometown, Medina said: My favorite hiking spots are by water, lakes and streams.

it is super fun because there is a type of water you can look at, and you can also put your feet in the water.

It is so pretty and fun.

Sounds nice and relaxing.

Great job Charlotte.

Ruby, from North Ridgeville Academic Center in North Ridgeville, shared: My favorite hiking spot is the Cleveland Metroparks.

It is so awesome!

Agreed!

The Metroparks are beautiful.

Thank you, Ruby.

Elise from Chagrin Falls Intermediate in Chagrin Falls, said: My favorite hiking spots are when you aren't really on a trail.

I like exploring and seeing new stuff.

Also, I like walking through creeks with not a lot of people around.

Also, I love taking my dog Flynn.

Flynn loves hiking, but the problem is that I have to carry him when we walk across the creek.

Hiking is one of my favorite hobbies.

Same with my dog.

Does NewsHound like taking hikes?

Thank you for asking.

NewsHound loves a good hike.

Ain't that right, NewsHound?

Thanks, Elise.

Owen from Clagget Middle School, also in Medina, said: My favorite hiking spot is Lake Medina in Medina, Ohio.

I live in a spot where my house is connected to a path along the bottom of the lake, which makes this place very convenient to bike and run on.

It is very fun to run by the lake because it is so calming.

That is why Lake Medina is my favorite hiking spot.

I know that lake I pass by it when I go visit my parents.

Thank you, Owen.

With all this hiking talk, I think I might just have to take one after this episode.

Thank you all for writing.

Back to AI news, A library in Nashville, Tennessee is offering AI classes for senior citizens.

As you get older, it can be harder to keep up with new tech.

That's why this library is working to teach seniors how they can use artificial intelligence.

Robb Coles has the story.

It's a few questions for you guys, What do you know about AI?

ChatGPT?

Gemini.

Claude.

So all of these are chatbox?

Maybe cutting edge today, but when Gaynelle Doll Lewis Laska started working, high tech was... My God, that was 1972.

White out.

White out.

Doll even worked at News Channel Five's office in the 70s and 80s.

The pair are two of the folks attending a class offered through the Nashville Public Library, teaching seniors how to use AI.

Everybody wants to know about AI, including the seniors, so we want to give them a little, introduction to AI as well.

It's part of the library's Digital inclusion week.

NPL's Marian Christmon says so many people have questions about this emerging technology.

What is it?

What can I do with it?

Is it going to replace everything I know?

The class breaks down different types of AI.

Now, these chat bots are meant to be very conversational.

Ways to use it in your everyday life.

Let's figure out something to eat.

When.

Linda, What do you have in your refrigerator right now?

And offer some safety tips pointing out some of the dangerous ways people on the internet can use it to take advantage of folks.

That scammer can send it to you or me.

With no mistakes.

And as technology moves faster and faster, we want to make sure We want to make sure that everyone has the tools they need to improve their lives and just do everyday things with technology.

These seniors are getting up to speed for the years to come.

From... Type writers that had their own correction ribbon.

- Big deal.

- Oh unbelievable.

To... Yes, I would like for you to create a poem about older adults learning about AI.

Absolutely.

Let's dive right in.

Over the course of one life.

Thanks, Robb.

Thanks in large part to technological advances, from computers to phones, many people have less time to go to a library, but that may gradually change.

At least that's what staffers at one Wisconsin library are starting to see.

The New Berlin Library posted a TikTok video that went viral, and now more and more visitors are learning about the great programs their local library has to offer.

Kaylee Staral reports on this library's next chapter.

You can't trust everybody, but you can trust the New Berlin Public Library.

That video now played more than 13 million times.

And it begs the question, who says you can't fall for a library?

New Berlin Library, How may I help you?

Tiff Kelly will tell you that's what's happening in New Berlin.

I might be a little biased, but I honestly, I would call it a magical place, this magical place filled with much more than just books.

Underneath the main floor, is a library of things all their own.

Things you wouldn't think about.

Maybe something you need to use once, but never again.

So we have it for you to borrow so you don't have to spend the money on it.

Think giant board games, bikes, microphones, and more.

Like a radon detector.

All getting the term checking out a whole new meaning.

I was amazed, but our library is actually very cool.

There's so much stuff here that you can rent or just get for free.

And now that it's October, one of those things are Halloween costumes.

This one.

A look through the rack of more than 140... And Cathie Hintz was set.

I mean, how can you not, right?

While Halloween may be about dressing up, what's happening here is all about showing up.

We want them to read and learn things and educate themselves, but we also want them to be able to have fun and enjoy themselves.

That community showing up in record numbers this summer.

And now thanks to this video showing up all over the world too.

You can't trust everyone.

We've been getting emails from like people in Australia and the Philippines.

A lot of the comments are just like, wow, I need to go back to my library, which is the coolest thing.

That's why we do anything that we do.

So I kind of just hope it's like a big victory for libraries everywhere.

from books to board games, this library's got you covered, proving that when you take a trust, fall into your community, sometimes it catches you.

All you need is your library card.

Thank you.

Kaylee.

I love going to the library.

The excitement of looking for a new book, seeing all the events they put together.

I think libraries are a great public asset to communities.

Our poll this week is an easy one.

How often do you use your public library?

You can choose between every day, every week, once a month, sporadically.

That means every once in a while or I haven't been yet, but I plan to visit soon.

Last episode, Jeff told us about invasive species in our state and how sometimes they are introduced to new environments on purpose and other times by accident.

Our poll question last week was, have you noticed any invasive species in your neighborhood?

81% of you reported seeing invasive species, while another 19% voted for no.

You haven't noticed any where you live.

Thank you all for voting.

And that's a wrap for today's show.

But we'll be back next week with more news and more stories.

Until then, you can keep the conversation going because we always like to hear from you.

And there are plenty of ways for you to stay in touch with us.

You can write to us.

We're at 1375 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio.

Our zip code here is 44115.

You can email us at newsdepth@ideastream.org.

Plus you can catch all of our special segments on YouTube.

Hit subscribe if you're old enough so you don't miss out on any of our new videos.

Thank you for joining us.

I'm Gabriel Kramer.

See you next week.

NewsDepth is made possible by a grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation.