# Investigate Midwest
> An independent, nonprofit newsroom that serves as a watchdog over influential agricultural corporations and institutions.
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. Use `/llms-full.txt` for consolidated page and post context.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).

## Pages
- [Ag policy, deportations, trade and climate change: What Midwest voters need to know in the 2024 election.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/2024-election.md) - Ag policy, deportations, trade and climate change: What Midwest voters need to know in the 2024 election.
- [A Changing Basin](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/a-changing-basin.md) - How is extreme weather affecting you? Take a quick survey and let us know. The Mississippi River Basin spans nearly half of the continental United States. Millions of people rely on the river system for drinking water, commerce and recreation. It’s a major economic driver and an important ecologica…
- [Editorial Standards](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/best-practices.md) - Investigate Midwest is pleased to be a member of the Trust Project and to support efforts to increase transparency and trust in journalism. As part of this commitment, here is a summary of our editorial standards and practices and policies on ethics, diversity, corrections, unnamed sources and fact…
- [Cart](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/cart.md)
- [Checkout](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/checkout.md)
- [Client Portal](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/clients-2-6a1898893f364f384776df29.md) - [jetpackcrm_clientportal]
- [Client Portal](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/clients.md) - [jetpackcrm_clientportal]
- [Communication preferences](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/communication-preferences.md) - [automatewoo_communication_preferences]
- [Corrections page](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/corrections-page.md) - We at Investigate Midwest believe all incorrect things must be corrected and noted in some way. Factual errors need to be corrected at the top of stories. Here is an example: “This story originally said ADM’s international headquarters is based in Decatur, Illinois. The correct location is Chicago.…
- [Fact-checking guidelines](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/fact-checking-guidelines.md) - Note: Fact-checking guidelines were generously provided to Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism in June 2009 by the Center for Public Integrity. Investigate Midwest is modifying these guidelines as it develops its own procedures. The Center for Public Integrity has given permission for Inv…
- [Farm to Trouble](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/farm-to-trouble.md) - Rampant fertilizer runoff from Midwest farm fields is choking the Gulf of Mexico. The resulting ocean dead zone shows little sign of shrinking despite decades of effort. What more can be done to stem the flow?
- [Farmworker Housing](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/farmworker-housing.md) - To better understand farmworkers’ housing conditions, Investigate Midwest has obtained inspections from dozens of states. View our map of housing inspections — including violations inspectors noted — and read our coverage.
- [My account](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/my-account-2.md)
- [Our ethics policy](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/our-ethics-policy.md) - Investigate Midwest (IM) is an independent, nonprofit newsroom. Our mission is to serve the public as a watchdog over influential corporations and institutions through in-depth and data-driven investigative journalism. Investigate Midwest’s ethics standards include the Society of Professional Journ…
- [(Untitled)](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/pesticides-and-cancer.md) - About this series Investigate Midwest analyzed data across the country amd interviewed 100 farmers, environmentalists, lawmakers and scientists as part of a partnership with the Pulitzer Center’s StoryReach U.S. Fellowship. The result was the picture of a nation at a crossroads in dealing with this…
- [Pigs and Power](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/pigs-and-power.md) - Starting in the early 1990s, Jim Pillen, famous for his college football days, grew his hog business into one of the largest pork empires in America. From a base in eastern Nebraska, he expanded into other states and even internationally. Then, he was elected Nebraska’s governor. Read Investigate M…
- [Shop](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/shop.md)
- [State agriculture commissioners](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/state-agriculture-commissioners.md) - Often overlooked, these state officials wield sizable power over farming policy.
- [Sign up for Investigate Midwest’s TextRural weekly roundup!](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/textrural.md) - At Investigate Midwest, our mission is to make high-quality, public service journalism accessible to everyone. That’s why we’re launching a new text line — to make it as easy as possible for you to stay informed and connected. When you sign up, every Friday you’ll receive a roundup of two to three…
- [Types of work](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/types-of-work.md) - Per the Trust Project, Investigate Midwest labels all its content to clearly alert readers to the kind of content they are consuming. INVESTIGATIVE: In-depth examination of a single subject requiring extensive research and resources. ANALYSIS: Based on factual reporting, although it incorporates th…

## Posts
- [Funding shortages and growing demand stall Illinois conservation efforts](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/illinois-conservation-soil-water-districts-farming-funding-shortages.md) - After a temporary boost in state funding, the state’s 97 soil and water conservation districts are back to operating on tighter budgets, leaving employees searching for other ways to help farmers protect their land.
- [Trump moved to ease diesel costs, but is it too late?](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/trump-moved-to-ease-diesel-costs-but-is-it-too-late.md) - Many farmers have already purchased fuel and finished harvesting as diesel prices remain elevated.
- [Diesel prices add pressure on farmers during harvest](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/diesel-prices-add-pressure-on-farmers-during-harvest.md) - While industry groups welcomed Trump’s executive order that temporarily allows off-road diesel in highway vehicles and easing fuel taxes, the Associated Press reported farmers already have access to the fuel and many have finished harvesting.
- [It’s a new season at Investigate Midwest](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/its-a-new-season-at-investigate-midwest.md) - Welcoming Mc Nelly Torres, our new editor-in-chief
- [Investigate Midwest names Mc Nelly Torres editor-in-chief](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/investigate-midwest-names-mc-nelly-torres-editor-in-chief.md) - Award-winning investigative journalist Mc Nelly Torres will continue leading the nonprofit newsroom after two months as interim editor. She brings years of experience uncovering inequality, mentoring reporters and building partnerships across newsrooms.
- [Renting Illinois farmland is slightly cheaper in 2026. But farming it remains costly.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/renting-illinois-farmland-is-slightly-cheaper-in-2026-but-farming-it-remains-costly.md) - Cropland rents dipped for the second consecutive year as farmers face tight margins and rising operating costs.
- [Our new site is live. Come take a look.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/our-new-site-is-live-come-take-a-look.md) - Find past newsletters, explore our reporting and see what’s new for members.
- [A handful of cooperatives control the US milk market](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/a-handful-of-cooperatives-control-the-us-milk-market.md) - Three of the largest dairy co-ops market the vast majority of milk sales; some have expanded into milk processing and other parts of the dairy industry. Farmers say these organizations — created to serve them — have developed interests of their own.
- [Your access code for our data center conversation is inside](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/your-access-code-for-our-data-center-conversation-is-inside.md) - Andy and Tammy Orem will join Investigate Midwest and UpRoot for a virtual conversation about their family’s experience, the community response and what they want more people to understand about what’s happening in Shelby County.
- [A proposed data center is changing the conversation in this Indiana farming community](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/events/data-center-opposition-shelby-county-indiana-rooted-conversation-series.md) - Andy and Tammy Orem are joining Investigate Midwest and UpRoot for a virtual conversation about a proposed data center near their family farmland in Shelby County, Indiana, and the questions it is raising about land, water, energy and who gets a say in rural development.
- [The number of food recalls are down, but individual outbreaks can be severe](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/the-number-of-food-recalls-are-down-but-individual-outbreaks-can-be-severe.md) - While the cyclospora outbreak tied to Taylor Farms has garnered headlines, the federal government is reporting fewer and fewer food outbreaks.
- [Join Investigate Midwest for Sunset on the Farm in Iowa City](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/events/sunset-on-the-farm-2026-fundraiser-iowa.md) - The Oct. 4 fundraiser will feature wood-fired pizza, live music, a silent auction and an evening in the Iowa countryside.
- [John Deere dominates farm machinery. Now it’s moving deeper into farm data and AI.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/john-deere-dominates-farm-machinery-now-its-moving-deeper-into-farm-data-and-ai.md) - The move raises the question: Will this increase the company’s dominance in the market?
- [Researchers identify thousands more Iowa livestock facilities than state database shows](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/researchers-identify-thousands-more-iowa-livestock-facilities-than-state-database-shows.md) - State records list roughly 11,000 regulated animal feeding operations. A yearlong effort using federal aerial imagery, satellite analysis and state records found more than 15,000 livestock facilities, revealing a larger industrial footprint.
- [Trump drone tariffs target a technology still used unevenly across US farms](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/trump-drone-tariffs-target-a-technology-still-used-unevenly-across-us-farms.md) - USDA data from 2023 show that drones lag behind other precision agriculture technologies and are used more often by larger farmers. New tariffs on imported drones could reshape the market for a tool farmers use to inspect, map, and spray crops.
- [Community is at the heart of our reporting](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/community-is-at-the-heart-of-our-reporting.md) - Join us in Iowa City for food, fun and connection at Sunset on the Farm
- [What actually drives this work](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/what-actually-drives-this-work.md) - Something I've been thinking about...
- [6 months of reporting, impact and unanswered questions](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/6-months-of-reporting-impact-and-unanswered-questions.md) - A look at the investigations, impact and community conversations shaping our work in 2026.
- [As family farms decline, more Michigan farmers try to preserve their land](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/as-family-farms-decline-more-michigan-farmers-try-to-preserve-their-land.md) - Farmers in the region are facing decisions about how to best keep land in production as land values rise, climate change threatens operations, and a younger generation chooses not to farm.
- [Illinois, Midwest saw large reduction in conservation staff in 2025, study shows](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/illinois-midwest-saw-large-reduction-in-conservation-staff-in-2025-study-shows.md) - The cuts to Natural Resources Conservation Service staff and other direct, producer support staff stemmed from department reorganizations and workforce cuts in the USDA under President Trump.
- [Still hoping to hear from you](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/still-hoping-to-hear-from-you.md) - Do you have three minutes to help us improve?
- [Did Iowa's largest beginning farmer tax credit create more farms?](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/did-iowas-largest-beginning-farmer-tax-credit-create-more-farms.md) - Iowa's Beginning Farmer Tax Credit was expected to expand farmland leasing, but a new study found little evidence it created more farms statewide.
- [Milk production is up despite decades-long decline in US dairy farms](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/milk-production-is-up-despite-decades-long-decline-in-us-dairy-farms.md) - Industry consolidation continues to push smaller dairy farms out of business.
- [Can I ask you something?](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/can-i-ask-you-something.md) - Tell us what drives your support.
- [USDA wants to revive the cotton industry. Experts aren’t sure that’s possible.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/cotton-industry-tiktok-politics-trump-maha-alliance.md) - The ‘Great American Cotton Plan’ has support from industry leaders, lawmakers and MAHA. As another wave of Trump’s tariffs hit cotton producers, experts ask: Can the plan overcome decades of unsustainable practices, supply chain erosion and Brazil's growing lead?
- [Can cotton really make a comeback?](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/can-cotton-really-make-a-comeback.md) - From Tiktok to Washington, MAHA and the Trump administration have found common ground.
- [Illinois farmers saw nation’s biggest jump in seasonal planting diesel costs, analysis finds](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/illinois-farmers-saw-nations-biggest-jump-in-seasonal-planting-diesel-costs-analysis-finds.md) - Farmers nationwide paid nearly two-thirds more for diesel during the 2026 planting season than in 2025, adding roughly $1.4 billion in fuel costs, according to a congressional analysis.
- [Report: Big Food companies regularly sue to stop or slow down public health policies](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/big-food-companies-regularly-sue-against-public-health-policies.md) - The newsroom Lighthouse Reports, along with several partners around the globe, found food companies have sued more than 200 times in the past 15 years as governments have tried to rein in unhealthy ingredients in people’s diets.
- [Illinois pesticide fees meant for oversight are funding broader state operations](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/illinois-pesticide-fees-meant-for-oversight-are-funding-broader-state-operations.md) - Illinois collected $9.06 million from pesticide registration fees in fiscal year 2025 to support enforcement and education programs related to oversight of pesticide applicators. But state spending records indicate that much of that money, which is supposed to fund educational programs and enforcem…
- [IL diesel prices add to farmers’ financial squeeze](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/il-diesel-prices-add-to-farmers-financial-squeeze.md) - American farmers spent $1.4 billion more on diesel this planting season
- [Where's the (US) beef?](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/wheres-the-us-beef.md) - The widening beef import/export gap is leaving US ranchers behind
- [EPA stalls long-planned nitrate cancer review as pollution crisis grows](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/epa-stalls-long-planned-nitrate-cancer-review-as-pollution-crisis-grows.md) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has backed off its re-assessment of cancer-causing nitrates despite decades of research suggesting the contaminant is more harmful than previously thought and that nitrate pollution is at crisis levels in U.S. drinking water. The agency would not confi…
- [US beef exports decrease, while imports increase under Trump](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/us-beef-exports-decrease-while-imports-increase-under-trump.md) - USDA projections show imports rising through 2027 as a shrinking cattle herd forces the US to buy more beef abroad. But some ranchers say the policy betrays President Trump's America First agenda and does little to lower prices for American consumers.
- [A note from Erin: What's new at Investigate Midwest](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/a-note-from-erin-whats-new-at-investigate-midwest.md) - From leadership updates to our first members-only event, here's what's new.
- [That’s a wrap! Now let’s dig in.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/thats-a-wrap-now-lets-dig-in.md) - Thank you for being part of this work.
- [Can you help us cross the finish line?](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/can-you-help-us-cross-the-finish-line.md) - Your support today helps power our reporting for the months ahead.
- [Last day. Can you help us close the gap?](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/last-day-can-you-help-us-close-the-gap.md) - $2,750 to go before midnight tonight.
- [AI data center boom: Water use, energy costs and lack of transparency](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/ai-data-center-boom-water-use-energy-costs-and-lack-of-transparency.md) - Why rural America is questioning data centers
- [Cyclospora headlines will fade. The questions won’t.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/cyclospora-headlines-will-fade-the-questions-wont.md) - In the final days of our summer campaign, we need your help.
- [Five things to know as data centers spread across rural America](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/five-things-to-know-as-data-centers-spread-across-rural-america.md) - More than 1,500 data centers are planned nationwide, many in rural communities. Here’s what to know about their water use, environmental impact and the growing opposition.
- [Summer slows down. Our reporting can’t.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/summer-slows-down-our-reporting-cant.md) - We’re less than halfway to our $7,000 goal — and the rest of 2026 is taking shape now.
- [Iowa’s true livestock footprint sized up](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/iowas-true-livestock-footprint-sized-up.md) - Researchers have identified thousands more CAFOs than appear in the state’s database.
- [Pushing through the spin](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/pushing-through-the-spin.md) - How and why we dig deep into what Big Ag feeds us
- [Most of America's beginning farmers don't farm full time.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/most-of-americas-beginning-farmers-dont-farm-full-time.md) - The 2022 Census of Agriculture offers a snapshot of producers with 10 years or less of farming experience and shows how they differ from US farmers overall.
- [Oklahoma can’t track how much water data centers use](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/oklahoma-cant-track-how-much-water-data-centers-use.md) - A loophole in state law has rural communities worried.
- [A loophole leaves Oklahoma data center water consumption largely untracked](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/a-loophole-leaves-oklahoma-data-center-water-consumption-largely-untracked.md) - While a new state law partly limits data center groundwater use, in reality, data centers avoid water permits entirely by buying water from utilities. Residents are demanding answers in communities like Luther and Yukon.
- [Snapshot: What ICE arrests looked like in farm counties last year](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/snapshot-what-ice-arrests-looked-like-in-farm-counties-last-year.md) - While the numbers are small compared to the overall arrests, data obtained by the Deportation Data Project show farm counties saw an increase in ICE arrests last year as the Trump administration pursued mass deportations of immigrants.
- [Three weeks left to close a $4,530 gap](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/three-weeks-left-to-close-a-4-530-gap.md) - Local newspapers rely on our reporting because few can afford investigations of this scale.
- [Trump ordered USDA to root out government support for trans people.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/trump-ordered-usda-to-root-out-government-support-for-trans-people.md) - Here’s what they found.
- [Trump told agencies to ferret out ‘gender ideology extremism.’ The USDA found very little, new records show.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/trump-told-agencies-to-ferret-out-gender-ideology-extremism-the-usda-found-very-little-new-records-show.md) - Newly released records from early in Trump’s tenure show that, even after a department-wide search, the US Department of Agriculture found only a handful of grants that fit its own definition of ‘gender ideology.’ The USDA canceled more anyway.
- [Many Americans know something is wrong. Here's the challenge.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/many-americans-know-something-is-wrong-heres-the-challenge.md) - Helping readers understand complex issues is just as important as uncovering them.
- [Data centers have moved into rural America. So have the concerns.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/data-centers-have-moved-into-rural-america-so-have-the-concerns.md) - New survey results show rural residents are more worried than urban and suburban Americans about the impacts of data centers, especially when it comes to electricity costs and the changing use of farmland, as AI infrastructure expands.
- [Free from influence and free to all readers](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/free-from-influence-and-free-to-all-readers.md) - How we fund our investigative reporting
- [Who benefits from $500 million in tax breaks?](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/who-benefits-from-500-million-in-tax-breaks.md) - Analysis looks at 2 decades of subsidies across 38 states
- [Congress members move to override Supreme Court ruling on pesticide protections](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/congress-members-move-to-override-supreme-court-ruling-on-pesticide-protections.md) - MAHA leaders have expressed outrage over the Supreme Court ruling, and have called on Congress to take action.
- [Major meatpackers have taken in more than half a billion in tax subsidies since 2006](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/major-meatpackers-have-taken-in-more-than-half-a-billion-in-tax-subsidies-since-2006.md) - Companies like Tyson and Cargill have received tax breaks from economic development programs in governments across the country.
- [China resumes US soybean purchases under trade deal with Trump, but future for farmers remains ‘daunting’](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/china-resumes-us-soybean-purchases-under-trade-deal-with-trump-but-future-for-farmers-remains-daunting.md) - Exports to China, the United States’ largest soybean buyer, still lag previous years.
- [The statistic that sparked an award-winning investigation](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/the-statistic-that-sparked-an-award-winning-investigation.md) - 40+ interviews, months of reporting, and national recognition
- [This week: Harvesting farmers' stories in the field](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/this-week-harvesting-farmers-stories-in-the-field.md) - Plus, food costs hit critical highs in some emerging countries
- [Why this work is personal](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/why-this-work-is-personal.md) - My rural roots shaped who I am and why this reporting matters.
- [While Western grocery inflation cools, food costs reach critical highs in some emerging economies](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/while-western-grocery-inflation-cools-food-costs-reach-critical-highs-in-some-emerging-economies.md) - US food prices seem to steady, but geopolitical friction keeps double-digit price hikes in Iran and Argentina.
- [Cotton, health insurance, the cattle industry](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/cotton-health-insurance-the-cattle-industry.md) - We’re looking for farmers, ranchers and experts for upcoming projects.
- [Energy prices drove most of May’s inflation increase](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/energy-prices-drove-most-of-mays-inflation-increase.md) - Rising energy costs accounted for more than 60% of May's increase in consumer prices, according to new data released June 10 from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Consumer prices rose 0.5% during the month and were 4.2% higher than a year ago.
- [The story doesn't end at publication](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/the-story-doesnt-end-at-publication.md) - Why reader support matters to Investigate Midwest
- [USDA’s sending mixed signals on competition](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/usdas-sending-mixed-signals-on-competition.md) - The latest chapter in the fight over consolidation in ag.
- [Low cattle numbers raise fears of another beef packing plant shutdown](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/low-cattle-numbers-raise-fears-of-another-beef-packing-plant-shutdown.md) - The closure of Tyson Foods’ Nebraska beef plant exposed vulnerabilities in an industry dominated by four companies. Analysts say more closures could follow if supplies remain tight.
- [Oops. Let's try that again.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/oops-lets-try-that-again.md) - Our summer fundraising campaign begins June 16. Here's what to expect.
- [A quick heads-up from Investigate Midwest](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/a-quick-heads-up-from-investigate-midwest.md) - Our summer fundraising campaign begins June 16. Here's what to expect.
- [The USDA fired its experts on seed industry concentration. Then, it proclaimed it was working on the issue.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/the-usda-fired-its-experts-on-seed-industry-concentration-then-it-proclaimed-it-was-working-on-the-issue.md) - The second Trump administration has paid more attention to antitrust concerns in the agriculture industry, but the episode shows that, in at least some respects, they are trying to ‘reinvent the wheel,’ experts said.
- [Why a Supreme Court ruling on Roundup matters](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/why-a-supreme-court-ruling-on-roundup-matters.md) - From cancer rates to liability shield laws, here’s 5 facts you should know.
- [Foreign suppliers play a key role in US fertilizer markets](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/foreign-suppliers-play-a-key-role-in-us-fertilizer-markets.md) - US farmers depend on a global fertilizer supply chain, with Canada supplying 87% of potash imports.
- [Meet the newest members of the Investigate Midwest newsroom](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/meet-the-newest-members-of-the-investigate-midwest-newsroom.md) - Caspar Dowdy, a University of Missouri student, and Paloma Sanchez-McGee, a recent University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate, have joined Investigate Midwest as summer interns.
- [Five things to know about pesticides, cancer and a pending Supreme Court ruling](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/five-things-to-know-about-pesticides-cancer-and-a-pending-supreme-court-ruling.md) - After years of lawsuits against agrichemical companies and battles over environmental regulations, the nation’s highest court is expected to rule this summer on a case that could significantly alter the pesticide industry.
- [Bayer contracts, pesticide data and Deere stock](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/bayer-contracts-pesticide-data-and-deere-stock.md) - This week’s reporting examines seed contracts, pesticide data in Illinois and Deere stock purchases tied to Trump’s investment portfolio.
- [In Illinois, cancer and pesticide rates typically rise together](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/in-illinois-cancer-and-pesticide-rates-typically-rise-together.md) - Most counties with the highest cancer rates also had the highest use of pesticides and herbicides.
- [Bayer’s proposed Roundup settlement violates Constitution, new legal filing claims](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/bayers-proposed-roundup-settlement-violates-constitution-new-legal-filing-claims.md) - Critics say the structure of the deal provides a rich payout of $675 million in fees to the lawyers helping promote the deal, but paltry payments for the cancer sufferers who make up the class.
- [Bayer promises to suspend ‘unfair provisions’ in seed contracts for several years, Trump administration announces](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/bayer-doj-loyalty-programs-antitrust.md) - The agreement relates to Bayer’s use of loyalty programs to sell its seeds. Federal authorities have said loyalty programs in the seed industry have raised prices for farmers.
- [In flurry of trading activity, Trump purchases John Deere stock](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/in-flurry-of-trading-activity-trump-purchases-john-deere-stock.md) - After one purchase, Trump touted Deere & Co.’s stock price at a rally in Iowa, where he also announced a major investment by the company.
- [Have you noticed your grocery bill creeping up again?](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/have-you-noticed-your-grocery-bill-creeping-up-again.md) - New inflation data shows the sharpest monthly food price increase since August 2022.
- [What we heard from cancer survivors, farmers and families](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/what-we-heard-from-cancer-survivors-farmers-and-families.md) - Preview text: Attendees left our recent panel asking deeper questions about pesticides, cancer risk, groundwater contamination and rural health.
- [Food prices just had their highest month-to-month jump in years](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/food-prices-just-had-their-highest-month-to-month-jump-in-years.md) - Since President Trump started a war with Iran, oil prices have spiked, affecting all aspects of the economy.
- [Iowa Sen. Catelin Drey knows her state's cancer crisis. She's living it.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/iowa-sen-catelin-drey-knows-her-states-cancer-crisis-shes-living-it.md) - Drey’s diagnosis comes amid national attention on Iowa’s cancer crisis, which experts believe could be tied to a “toxic mix” of environmental and health risk factors.
- [This herbicide is so toxic it’s been banned in over 70 countries. But plants in the South are releasing it into the air.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/this-herbicide-is-so-toxic-its-been-banned-in-over-70-countries-but-plants-in-the-south-are-releasing-it-into-the-air.md) - Paraquat has been linked to Parkinson’s disease and just a sip is fatal, but tens of thousands of pounds of it are being released in the Mississippi Basin.
- [States left holding the (grocery) bag](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/states-left-holding-the-grocery-bag.md) - How Oklahoma is working to support ag producers and state food programs
- [After Trump cut food programs, Oklahoma lawmakers look to replace lost aid for farmers](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/after-trump-cut-food-programs-oklahoma-lawmakers-look-to-replace-lost-aid-for-farmers.md) - The roughly $1 billion cut affected more than 10,000 producers nationwide, forcing many to scale back operations and, in some cases, shut down entirely.
- [After USDA cuts, complaints over food safety spike](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/after-usda-cuts-complaints-over-food-safety-spike.md) - The number of complaints filed about the safety of meat, poultry and egg products jumped nearly 40% last year, from 1,443 to 2,016, according to a new federal report. The report comes a year after the Trump administration approved some of the most sweeping staffing cuts to the U.S. Department of Ag…
- [‘In every room, every hand would go up’: Panelists discuss cancer, pesticides and environmental risks](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/events/in-every-room-every-hand-would-go-up-panelists-discuss-cancer-pesticides-and-environmental-risks.md) - Decades of industrialized farming, pressure from chemical manufacturers and federal farm policy have left many producers relying heavily on pesticides.
- [Why we’re suing the USDA](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/why-were-suing-the-usda.md) - After a 14-month delay, we’re taking legal action to obtain emails tied to internal agency decisions.
- [Fertilizer costs are squeezing farmers nationwide](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/fertilizer-costs-are-squeezing-farmers-nationwide.md) - A majority of farmers report they can’t afford all the fertilizer they need as global supply disruptions push up prices.
- [Pesticides detected hundreds of feet away from parks and playgrounds in these 10 Illinois counties](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/pesticides-detected-hundreds-of-feet-away-from-parks-and-playgrounds-in-these-10-illinois-counties.md) - A new statewide study calls for more laws to guard against 'chemical trespass,' as agrichemicals were found at schools and parks across the state. The study comes just days after Illinois lawmakers rejected a bill requiring advance spray notice to those sites.
- [Investigate Midwest sues USDA after 14-month delay in providing agriculture secretary emails](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/investigate-midwest-sues-usda-after-14-month-delay-in-providing-agriculture-secretary-emails.md) - Investigate Midwest has sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture in federal court over a 14-month delay in producing email records related to the agency’s work to cut thousands of staff members and numerous programs last year. In February 2025, Investigate Midwest requested all email correspondence…
- [Supreme Court hears pesticide-cancer case](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/supreme-court-hears-pesticide-cancer-case.md) - The Justices weigh whether people should be allowed to sue pesticide makers over cancer claims.
- [Bayer promised EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin 'a small thanks’ for removing cancer warnings about Roundup, according to internal emails AOC obtained](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/bayer-promised-epa-administrator-lee-zeldin-a-small-thanks-for-removing-cancer-warnings-about-roundup-according-to-internal-emails-aoc-obtained.md) - In internal EPA emails obtained by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that she read into the record at a Congressional hearing Tuesday, the multinational conglomerate also told a Zeldin senior advisor it wanted to discuss its case before the Supreme Court.
- [Monsanto argues for lawsuit immunity in case before Supreme Court](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/monsanto-argues-for-lawsuit-immunity-in-case-before-supreme-court.md) - Justices weigh Monsanto's claim of EPA 'green light' for business as usual while Trump’s pro-glyphosate executive order clashes with MAHA’s anti-pesticide push.
- [Watchdog group alleges Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins violated ethics rules](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/brooke-rollins-ethics-complaint.md) - The Campaign Legal Center said in a report released Thursday that Brooke Rollins remained close with former employers, which could violate the ethics agreement she signed. The USDA called the allegations 'frivolous.'
- [Bayer lobbying rebounds as Roundup legal fight reaches Supreme Court](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/bayer-lobbying-rebounds-as-roundup-legal-fight-reaches-supreme-court.md) - A new federal lobbying report shows the company spent more in early 2026 as the courts consider whether federal pesticide warning labels can protect companies from state lawsuit claims.
- [Should Illinois guarantee water breaks in extreme heat?](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/should-illinois-guarantee-water-breaks-in-extreme-heat.md) - Lawmakers and industry leaders clash over new regulations.
- [American farmers bet on solar. Then Trump changed the rules.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/american-farmers-bet-on-solar-then-trump-changed-the-rules.md) - We tracked how the collapse of federal rural energy support is ending solar projects across farm country — and costing some developers millions they'll never get back.
- [Illinois Farm Bureau sees ‘moral obligation’ to protect livestock from extreme weather. It opposes temperature standards for workers.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/illinois-farm-bureau-sees-moral-obligation-to-protect-livestock-from-extreme-weather-it-opposes-temperature-standards-for-workers.md) - The Illinois legislature is debating whether to become one of a handful of states to legally require worker protections from extreme temperatures. The legislation would apply to labor on the frontlines of the climate crisis, such as farm work.
- [Cancer is a statewide problem in Ohio, including in the pesticide-heavy northwest corner](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/cancer-is-a-statewide-problem-in-ohio-including-in-the-pesticide-heavy-northwest-corner.md) - Ohio has one of the highest cancer rates in the nation, often linked to a variety of factors, including industrial pollution and pesticide use.
- [Join us May 7: A live panel discussion on pesticides & cancer risk](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/join-us-may-7-a-live-panel-discussion-on-pesticides-cancer-risk.md) - Researchers, a physician, and lived experience come together to examine what we know so far
- [A closer look at pesticides and cancer risk in farm country](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/events/a-closer-look-at-pesticides-and-cancer-risk-in-farm-country.md) - The May 7 virtual panel will explore what current data and reporting reveal, bringing together research, clinical insight, and lived experience.
- [Separating fact from fiction in foreign land ownership](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/separating-fact-from-fiction-in-foreign-land-ownership.md) - Candidates say China is a major threat. The data tells a different story.
- [With Iran War, food prices will grow faster than originally expected this year, USDA predicts](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/with-iran-war-food-prices-will-grow-faster-than-originally-expected-this-year-usda-predicts.md) - 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.
- [China looms large in Oklahoma governor’s race over foreign ownership of farmland](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/china-looms-large-in-oklahoma-governors-race-over-foreign-ownership-of-farmland.md) - 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](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/burned-before-by-pesticide-drift-vineyard-owners-enter-growing-season-bracing-for-the-worst.md) - The Trump administration wants to continue the use of the herbicide dicamba. That’s despite fears it’s killing sensitive plants.
- [Why Local News Day matters right now.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/why-local-news-day-matters-right-now.md) - Join us in celebrating community-centered, watchdog journalism.
- [ICE raids: 'That's not the America I know'](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/ice-raids-thats-not-the-america-i-know.md) - Examining the broader effects of ICE actions on rural communities.
- [A new immigration strategy shakes agro-industrial rural towns](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/a-new-immigration-strategy-shakes-agro-industrial-rural-towns.md) - 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.'
- [Nueva estrategia migratoria irrumpe en los pueblos rurales agroindustriales](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/nueva-estrategia-migratoria-irrumpe-en-los-pueblos-rurales-agroindustriales.md) - Una decisión de la Corte Suprema de EE.UU., que amplía la autoridad de “sospecha razonable”, está llevando la aplicación de las leyes migratorias más allá de los lugares de trabajo hacia los pueblos rurales, donde un ciudadano estadounidense afirma que un agente le dijo: “Tenemos derecho a asumir qu
- [What's arriving in mailboxes in two Iowa counties](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/whats-arriving-in-mailboxes-in-two-iowa-counties.md) - A closer look at how our pesticide and cancer reporting is reaching local communities.
- [Local News Day: How local reporting connects to bigger systems](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/local-news-day.md) - At Investigate Midwest, we're a regional newsroom with national reach, but much of our reporting begins with local people who trust us to take a closer look at what’s happening in their communities. Sometimes that means following a tip about immigration arrests in a small Missouri town. Other times…
- [North Dakota’s Red River Valley a pesticide and cancer hotspot](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/north-dakotas-red-river-valley-a-pesticide-and-cancer-hotspot.md) - The state’s easternmost counties have the highest rates of agrichemical use and cancer rates.
- [Can antitrust work with fewer investigators?](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/can-antitrust-work-with-fewer-investigators.md) - DOJ cuts conflict with promise to investigate meatpackers
- [As feedlots become larger, the ‘Big Four’ expand their market share](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/as-feedlots-become-larger-the-big-four-expand-their-market-share.md) - Feedlots, where cattle are finished on grain after grazing, are becoming larger. Smaller operations are declining, while the largest feedlots continue to expand their market share, reflecting ongoing consolidation across the beef industry. The U.S. has more than 26,000 feedlots, but just 82 – those…
- [A look behind the scenes of what could be Google’s biggest test of carbon capture](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/a-look-behind-the-scenes-of-what-could-be-googles-biggest-test-of-carbon-capture.md) - This story was originally published by Grist. This story is made possible through a partnership between Grist and The Flatwater Free Press, Nebraska’s first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories. Rick Wheatley owns a property with about 80 acres in Nebraska’s…
- [Trump made meatpacking investigation a campaign promise but antitrust staff has been gutted](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/trump-promised-to-investigate-meatpacking-antitrust-staff-gutted.md) - Four companies own 85% of US beef production. Independent ranchers say consolidation has narrowed their market options, and past federal antitrust cases have largely ended in fines rather than meaningful changes.
- [Even when EPA finds a pesticide cancer risk, agency rarely requires warnings](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/even-when-epa-finds-a-pesticide-cancer-risk-agency-rarely-requires-warnings.md) - This story was originally published by The New Lede. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is failing to put warnings on pesticides linked to cancer — even when the agency itself determined a product’s ingredients are carcinogenic, according to two new analyses of federal data. The EPA has p…
- [Iowa’s high cancer rate linked to nitrate, pesticides, PFAS and radon, new report finds](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/iowas-high-cancer-rate-linked-to-nitrate-pesticides-pfas-and-radon-new-report-finds.md) - The new analysis combines science on environmental risk factors with the lived experiences of Iowans battling cancer.
- [Where federal farm aid is really going](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/where-federal-farm-aid-is-really-going.md) - Debt reduction tops the list for many
- [Farmers plan to use federal bridge payments mainly to reduce debt](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/farmers-use-federal-payments-to-reduce-debt.md) - A new survey shows nearly half of producers intend to use the payments to pay down debt rather than expand operations or invest in equipment.
- [Investigate Midwest’s Juan Vassallo wins first place in NAAJ writing contest](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/investigate-midwests-juan-vassallo-wins-first-place-in-naaj-writing-contest.md) - The NAAJ judge praised the reporting for its depth, use of sources, and ability to connect policy decisions to real-world impacts.
- [New analysis explores pesticide connection to late-stage cancer rates](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/new-analysis-explores-pesticide-connection-to-late-stage-cancer-rates.md) - New pesticide data, plus what backyard eggs actually cost.
- [High pesticide-use counties often have higher-than-average late-stage cancer rates](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/high-pesticide-use-counties-often-have-higher-than-average-late-stage-cancer-rates.md) - Glyphosate data analysis shows connection to most aggressive forms of cancer across the nation’s agricultural heartland.
- [Manure waste without oversight in Wisconsin](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/manure-waste-without-oversight-in-wisconsin.md) - The Dairy State's CAFO regulators outnumbered 27:1
- [Argentina rarely sold beef to the US. Now, the country surpasses major trade partners.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/argentina-rarely-sold-beef-to-the-us-now-the-country-surpasses-major-trade-partners.md) - While the domestic cattle inventory declines, reliance on South American beef products increases.
- [Wisconsin agency tasked with industrial farm permits plagued by low-staffing levels](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/wisconsin-agency-tasked-with-industrial-farm-permits-plagued-by-low-staffing-levels.md) - The ratio of CAFO permits to staff charged with oversight hits its highest peak ever.
- [Is the 'one-stop shop' working for farmers?](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/is-the-one-stop-shop-working-for-farmers.md) - Investigation shows mixed results from the initiative.
- [Our reporting showed up in the Iowa House last week](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/our-reporting-showed-up-in-the-iowa-house-last-week.md) - Why we’re tracking impact and planning listening sessions
- [Trump’s immigration surges in Midwest cities correlate with less employment, researchers find](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/trumps-immigration-surges-in-midwest-cities-correlate-with-less-employment-researchers-find.md) - The number of private sector workers declined in states such as Illinois and Minnesota after mass ICE presence, according to an analysis of employment data by UC Merced researchers.
- [Emails show Trump’s labor department struggling to deliver on H-2A ‘one-stop shop’ promise](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/emails-show-trumps-labor-department-struggling-to-deliver-on-h-2a-one-stop-shop-promise.md) - As mass deportation efforts affected one labor force for farms, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer promised to cut red tape so they could access another: workers on temporary visas. It hasn’t gone according to plan.
- [Power play: Energy fight in Oklahoma](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/power-play-energy-fight-in-oklahoma.md) - Get the latest updates on the solar farm conflict in Oklahoma.
- [Bayer cites Trump support in Supreme Court Roundup battle](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/bayer-cites-trump-support-in-supreme-court-roundup-battle.md) - This story was originally published by The New Lede. In an opening salvo aimed at convincing the U.S. Supreme Court to curtail costly Roundup litigation, Bayer is citing support from President Donald Trump and U.S. regulators while renewing a threat to stop sales of glyphosate-based herbicides to f…
- [Farm bankruptcies jumped 46% in 2025 as debt loads and costs rise](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/farm-bankruptcies-jumped-46-in-2025-as-debt-loads-and-costs-rise.md) - Chapter 12 filings climbed to 315 in the US. That’s a third straight increase annually as higher production costs and expanding borrowing put new pressure on farmers in 2026.
- [How a solar energy developer lobbied for and won a reduced state permit fee amidst farmer pushback](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/how-a-solar-energy-developer-lobbied-for-and-won-a-reduced-state-permit-fee-amidst-farmer-pushback.md) - Emails show how NextEra Energy secured a big break on permitting fees for its Skeleton Creek solar farm as renewable energy projects multiply across Oklahoma, including separate developments tied to AI data centers.
- [Final week for Chicagoland readers to take our survey](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/final-week-for-chicagoland-readers-to-take-our-survey.md) - The survey closes soon. We still need more responses for meaningful results.
- [Why we examined pesticide use and cancer rates, explained on Iowa Public Radio](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/why-we-examined-pesticide-use-and-cancer-rates-explained-on-iowa-public-radio.md) - Investigate Midwest’s editor-in-chief Ben Felder appeared Feb. 19 on Iowa Public Radio’s River to River with the launch of his latest investigation into pesticide use and cancer rates in the agricultural heartland. “Iowa has the second highest cancer rate in the country…” host Ben Kieffer said at t…
- [‘This is my ’80s’: As Trump’s tariffs upend trade, farmers endure instability](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/this-is-my-80s-as-trumps-tariffs-upend-trade-farmers-endure-instability.md) - The sale of US soybeans to China may rebound this year, but a fundamental shift in US policy is needed to break farmers out of their current cycle of hardship, agricultural economy experts said during an Investigate Midwest panel Thursday.
- [Cancer crisis in the heartland](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/cancer-crisis-in-the-heartland.md) - Explore the rising cancer rates and their impact on communities.
- [3 charts to better understand the potential link between pesticides and cancer](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/3-charts-to-better-understand-the-potential-link-between-pesticides-and-cancer.md) - Most counties with the highest pesticide use also have cancer rates above the national average.
- [Pesticide use and cancer risk rise together across America’s heartland](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/pesticide-use-and-cancer-risk-rise-together-across-americas-heartland.md) - America's farmers and farmworkers, their families and neighbors, are being diagnosed with cancer at rates higher than the national average. A growing body of research indicates that pesticides are partly to blame.
- [A quick ask for our Chicago readers](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/a-quick-ask-for-our-chicago-readers.md) - Our news readership survey closes soon.
- [Farmworkers without criminal records are increasingly caught in ICE arrests](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/farmworkers-without-criminal-records-are-increasingly-caught-in-ice-arrests.md) - Rural America is feeling the ripple effects of stepped-up immigration enforcement.

## Optional
- [RSS Feed](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/rss/)
- [Sitemap](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/sitemap.xml)
- [Full content of pages and posts](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/llms-full.txt)