Oct. 19, 2023 www.investigatemidwest.org Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting
Climate change devastating ag insurance programs
In 2007, the Government Accountability Office warned climate change threatened insurance markets, including the one run by the federal government for agriculture. The warning was prescient.
Extreme weather, such as floods and droughts, are now frequent, which is costing individual farmers tens of thousands of dollars in lost crops. As natural disasters increase, so is the amount of money the federal government is paying out.
But, even then, only about half of what farmers lost is covered by insurance. It's a situation that is poised to ruin farm finances, Grist reports in a new story.
— Sky Chadde, assistant editor/senior reporter
‘Nothing’s predictable’: Extreme weather is ruining farmers’ crops, and their finances
Grist
Research from the American Farm Bureau Federation suggests that nationwide, natural disasters caused $21.5 billion in agricultural losses last year. Only about half of those were protected by insurance, the majority of which is sold through federally-backed programs.
Read more.
GRAPHIC: Two companies control more than half of the corn, soybean and cotton markets
By Sky Chadde, Investigate Midwest
In 2015, farmers had six companies to choose from to purchase their seeds and pesticides. But, following mergers, notably Bayer’s purchase of Monsanto in 2018, farmers had fewer choices.
See the graphic.
Opinion: FDA proposes a helpful new consumer-friendly canned tuna label
By Dave Dickey, Columnist
Dave Dickey enjoys the versatility of tuna. He sometimes finds the amount found in a can to be vary, he writes in his latest column.
"As it turns out tuna processors aren’t enamored with current FDA regulations on how tuna is canned. Currently, FDA requires a 'pressed cake weight' measurement which was originally designed for three piece cans. No other nation on earth uses the pressed cake weight standard because the three-piece can is obsolete, replaced decades ago by a two-piece model."
Read more.
READ MORE: Find out the details about the Nov. 9 event in Iowa City to support the IowaWatch newsroom. Tickets are available here. All proceeds will be doubled during the end-of-year giving campaign.
Related news from our partners
A rural Iowa town is the driest it has ever been. It's running low on water.Cedar Rapids Gazette
