How our newsroom cuts through Big Ag’s bull
Recently, I was asked to talk about how Investigate Midwest reporters navigate through big agribusiness’s narrative to get to the facts and what’s really happening. There’s a deeper conversation here, but the highlights are:
We don’t start with the industry’s framing.
Big Ag is skilled at shaping the language the public hears: “feeding the world,” “family farms,” “efficiency,” “innovation.” We ask: Who benefits from this story? Who is missing? What is being left unsaid?
We separate farmers from the corporations speaking for them.
Agribusiness narratives often blur the line between independent farmers and the powerful companies, trade groups and lobbyists shaping policy. Our reporting makes that distinction clear.
We follow the money, the lobbying and the policy trail.
We look beyond press releases and public talking points to trace campaign contributions and to show readers how power moves, not just what powerful people say.
We’re data-driven and people-centered.
That means talking to farmers, workers, families, rural residents, scientists, advocates, and communities directly affected by Big Ag’s footprint. Lived experience is not an anecdote; it is evidence of how systems operate.
We report with rigor, not ideology.
Our job is to test claims, verify facts, name conflicts of interest, provide context and make complex systems understandable. When Big Ag narratives flatten the story, our newsroom adds the depth back in.
If this resonates with you, I hope you’ll contribute to our summer campaign and help us close the gap toward our $7,000 goal.
— Erin Orr
executive director
Investigate Midwest
P.S. As a reader, we know you value Investigate Midwest’s reporting. Please share it with your community and invite others to the table.
