China looms large in Oklahoma governor’s race over foreign ownership of farmland
Candidates for Oklahoma governor are spotlighting foreign farmland ownership as a top voter concern, but conflicting claims, carve-outs in state law and gaps in federal data complicate the issue.
Burned before by ‘pesticide drift,’ vineyard owners enter growing season bracing for the worst
The Trump administration wants to continue the use of the herbicide dicamba. That’s despite fears it’s killing sensitive plants.
A new immigration strategy shakes agro-industrial rural towns
A US Supreme Court decision expanding ‘reasonable suspicion’ authority is pushing immigration enforcement beyond job sites into rural towns, where a US citizen says an officer told him: ‘We have the right to assume that you’re an illegal alien.’
With Iran War, food prices will grow faster than originally expected this year, USDA predicts
In late February, the US Department of Agriculture had already predicted food prices in 2026 would increase faster than inflation. A month into the war, some prices will likely skyrocket.
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You can’t gaslight food affordability
Prices are higher in 5 out of 6 tracked food-at-home categories, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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North Dakota’s Red River Valley a pesticide and cancer hotspot
The state’s easternmost counties have the highest rates of agrichemical use and cancer rates.
Iowa’s high cancer rate linked to nitrate, pesticides, PFAS and radon, new report finds
The new analysis combines science on environmental risk factors with the lived experiences of Iowans battling cancer.
Investigate Midwest’s Juan Vassallo wins first place in NAAJ writing contest
The NAAJ judge praised the reporting for its depth, use of sources, and ability to connect policy decisions to real-world impacts.
High pesticide-use counties often have higher-than-average late-stage cancer rates
Glyphosate data analysis shows connection to most aggressive forms of cancer across the nation’s agricultural heartland.
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Opinion
Expect more turmoil and change for the 2026 ag sector
Armed with only the best of prognostication tools, here are the 2026 agricultural stories that people will be talking about.…
Iowans share life lessons at Investigate Midwest event
You’re invited to an evening of live storytelling featuring powerful, personal stories from five Iowa men with backgrounds in journalism, education, comedy, and the arts.
Iowa immigrants fear the Trump administration’s move toward mass deportation
The spread of misinformation has fueled anxiety and alarm within Iowa’s Latino immigrant community. It is estimated that the state is home to more than 52,000 undocumented immigrants.
Midwest farmers advocate for steady policies amid trade challenges
Recent trade policies have imposed tariffs to boost U.S. production, but Midwest agriculture has suffered, losing ground to competitors like Brazil in soybeans and pork. Farmers urge the new administration to prioritize free trade and stable agreements.
