Black women hoping to conceive using donor sperm often have to choose a donor from a different race or put their fertility journey on hold because of a shortage of Black sperm donors. One woman tells us her story. Plus: Parts of Missouri, Kansas and other Midwest states are still in drought, despite recent rains.

For people trying to conceive using donated sperm, finding a Black sperm donor can be really hard. In some cases, it’s impossible. Researchers at the University of Kansas are trying to identify why the shortage exists. Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga of the Kansas News Service has more.

Planting is well underway across the Midwest. But farmers are still grappling with dry conditions that led to lower than normal corn yields last fall. This is the third year of a near historic drought for parts of the Corn Belt. As Harvest Public Media’s Grant Winterer reports, producers are making adjustments as this growing season begins.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox and Gabe Rosenberg.

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