The tickborne illness alpha-gal syndrome affects what you can eat. For those who contract it, mealtime becomes a minefield. Plus: American agriculture depends on foreign workers, but President Donald Trump’s immigration clampdown is shrinking a farm workforce that many say was already too small.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 450,000 people in the U.S. have alpha-gal syndrome, a tickborne allergy to red meat. Many others have never heard of the condition, which is believed to be prevalent in Missouri. KBIA’s Rebecca Smith explains how this allergy works — and how it impacts people who have it.

The ag workforce has shrunk by at least 155,000 people this year under Trump’s immigration crackdown. Ag labor prices are surging, and the crisis is driving some farmers out of business. But as Harvest Public Media's Frank Morris reports, some in the ag industry say this could be the moment for changes to allow more foreigners to work legally on American farms.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Emily Younker.

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