Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024
As 2024 nears its end, we are so grateful for what your generosity allowed us to accomplish this year.
Investigate Midwest reached nearly 800,000 people in 2024, through stories published on our website alone. We reached hundreds of thousands more when partnering news outlets published our work.
One of the most critical investigations of 2025 is a piece examining the devastating fallout of Tyson Foods' abrupt contract cancellations with poultry farmers. This story uncovers the profound human and economic consequences of corporate cost-cutting measures, leaving farmers like Timothy Bundren saddled with millions in debt after upgrading facilities to Tyson’s specifications — investments they were told would secure long-term contracts.
Through months of research, interviews, and analysis of legal filings and USDA data, the investigation highlighted:
- The exploitative nature of poultry industry contracts, which shift financial risk to farmers while insulating corporations.
- How plant closures and contract terminations disproportionately affected growers with little recourse.
- The threat of bankruptcy for families and destabilization of rural economies.
That story can be read here.
It is just one example of the kind of work you've come to expect from us — accountability journalism focused on big agribusiness. Our reporting is independent, inclusive and in-depth. And we have even bigger plans for the upcoming year that your donations support.
The story cost thousands of dollars and countless hours to produce. Reporter John McCracken spent several weeks researching, reporting, interviewing, writing and fact-checking his work. It reached thousands of readers on Investigate Midwest’s site and was shared numerous times by other media outlets and interest groups across the country.
These stories need to be investigated and told. And you can help us continue to do this important work.
Don't keep NewsMatch all to yourself. Celebrate with friends and colleagues by helping us spread the word and forwarding this email or sharing on social media.
With gratitude,
Erin Orr, Executive Director
Investigate Midwest relies on donations and fundraisers to help fuel our work. We appreciate your patience with extra emails during these periods. Thanks for being a member in Investigate Midwest's community!
We dig in so you can be informed.
Investigate Midwest 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.
