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Connections are evident between
USDA and American Farm Bureau
In June, the American Farm Bureau Federation announced that former USDA Chief of Staff Joby Young would take over as the organization’s executive vice president. Dale Moore, the outgoing AFBF vice president, also was a former USDA chief of staff.
Moore and Young corresponded while Young was still at the USDA and Moore was AFBF vice president, according to emails obtained from the USDA. The AFBF is the country’s largest agriculture lobbying organization and an insurance company.
Investigate Midwest examined professional bios, LinkedIn profiles, social media accounts and news stories to determine how many AFBF-affiliated people hold jobs in USDA. We found dozens of federal officials, particularly Farm Services Agency state directors, who had ties to AFBF.
— Madison McVan, reporter
In Washington, agricultural policymakers circulate among Farm Bureau, USDA and industry | Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest
Here's one takeaway from the story: "Seventeen current state directors of the USDA’s Farm Services Agency have a connection to the AFBF or its state and local counterparts, Investigate Midwest found in an analysis of FSA director bios, social media accounts and news clips. Under the Trump administration, 16 state FSA directors had a Farm Bureau connection before being appointed."
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Nine out of 10 rural adults use the internet, according to the Pew Research Center.
COLUMN: Big Poultry: We feel the need for greed | Dave Dickey
The new privately held poultry business between Cargill and Sanderson Farms will operate in Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Louisiana and Georgia and if history is any indication will crank out close to 5 billion pounds of meat a year.
Investigate Midwest a finalist for INN award
The Seresto series on problems with popular pet collars has been named a finalist for Best Investigative Journalism Award, Middle Division, in the Institute for Nonprofit News Awards. Reporter Johnathan Hettinger has been reporting on this matter with partner USA Today for the last year. The reporting has led to an investigation and a key leader asking for the products to be taken off the market. Winners and honorable mention selections will be announced during the virtual awards ceremony on Sept. 21, 2022.
News about the Mississippi River Basin
Investigate Midwest is part of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk, an editorially independent reporting network based at the University of Missouri School of Journalism in partnership with Report For America and funded by the Walton Family Foundation.
Millions spent to keep invasive fish out of the Great Lakes, but who is protecting the Mississippi River?
Federal and state agencies spend millions of dollars every year to keep destructive invasive carp out of the Great Lakes. Meanwhile, at least 25 destructive species — like water fleas and bloody red shrimp — are inching closer to the Mississippi River Basin. This story is from Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco at WNIJ-Northern Public.
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More news about Investigate Midwest
Come to Sunset On The Farm on Sept. 25
Tickets are available for this IowaWatch favorite, sponsored in part by the Cedar Rapids Gazette. It will take place 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, September 25, at the Walker Homestead, just outside of Iowa City, Iowa. Come for the beautiful setting, great brick-oven pizza, wine, silent auction and camaraderie. Contact Mary Ungs-Sogaard for more information.
Fall conference opens for registration
Top digital journalists, innovators and researchers from universities and news organizations across the nation will lead this year’s MobileMe&You conference, which is set for October 21-22, 2022. The conference will be held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Register here.
