Government

Lobbyists of all kinds flock to Farm Bill

The massive Farm Bill, which will spend $956 billion and set U.S. food policy for the next decade, is no longer the purview solely of agricultural interests. The Farm Bill has evolved from a spotlight on commodities to a focus on consumers, a joint investigation by Harvest Public Media and the Midwe

By Peggy Lowe/Harvest Public Media

/ 14 Jul 2014

Lobbyists of all kinds flock to Farm Bill

Out of public eye, a bitter Farm Bill fight

From major financial institutions (Wells Fargo & Company) to Taco Bell (Yum! Brands) to Midwest farmers (the National Corn Growers Association), outside groups spent big bucks to shape national food and agriculture policy. But thanks to opaque lobbying disclosure laws, it’s nearly impossible to know

By Jeremy Bernfield/Harvest Public Media

/ 14 Jul 2014

Out of public eye, a bitter Farm Bill fight

Farmers turn drone technology to the skies despite cloudy regulation

Experts predict that the agriculture industry may soon account for roughly half of all drone flights in the United States. As part of that trend, farmers from across the country gathered in central Illinois this week for the Precision Aerial Ag Show, a showcase of unmanned aerial vehicles, otherwise

By Claire Everett/Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting and Robert Holly/Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting

/ 11 Jul 2014

Farmers turn drone technology to the skies despite cloudy regulation

Iowa's Texting-While-Driving Ban Not Reducing Crashes, Hard To Enforce

Iowa’s law banning texting while driving is failing to reduce road crashes, and officers seldom enforce it because of legal restrictions, an IowaWatch investigation shows. Crash history reports from the Iowa Department of Transportation show that since the Iowa Legislature enacted it in July 2011, t

By Sarah Hadley

/ 8 Jun 2014

Iowa's Texting-While-Driving Ban Not Reducing Crashes, Hard To Enforce

Making The IowaWatch Documentary 'Breaking the Cycle: Meth Addiction in the Heartland'

View this behind-the-scenes look at reporter Katie Kuntz's journey of more than a year making the IowaWatch Documentary "Breaking the Cycle: Meth use in the Heartland."

By Meghan Horihan

/ 5 Jun 2014

Breaking the Cycle: Meth Addiction in the Heartland

An IowaWatch documentary: "Breaking the Cycle: Meth Addiction in the Heartland" examines the impact methamphetamine has on Iowa children raised in a home with a parent addicted to the drug. Watch it here.

By Katie Kuntz

/ 5 Jun 2014

Breaking the Cycle: Meth Addiction in the Heartland

Bioengineers Hope Turning Garbage Into Gas Opens A Green Frontier in Iowa, Midwest

The thought of turning your dinner table leftovers, old cardboard boxes and even dirty diapers into fuel for your car might sound ambitious, or even absurd. But scientists, bioengineers and profit-minded businesspeople say they can do it.

By Gabriella Dunn

/ 1 Jun 2014

Bioengineers Hope Turning Garbage Into Gas Opens A Green Frontier in Iowa, Midwest

White House assessment warns that climate change means more than drought

The agriculture industry will soon face more frequent extreme weather and more tenacious pests, according to a White House assessment released earlier this month. If farmers cannot overcome these challenges, then U.S. crop and farm profits will decline, the assessment warned.

By Robert Holly

/ 28 May 2014

White House assessment warns that climate change means more than drought

USDA paid billions in improper payments, report finds

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported an estimated $6.2 billion in improper payments in 2013, according to an Office of Inspector General’s April report. The report's findings come after a previous Office of Inspector General report concluded that the USDA overpaid farmers by hundreds of milli

By Claire Everett/Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting

/ 16 May 2014

USDA paid billions in improper payments, report finds

What to watch for as USDA readies the 2012 Census of Agriculture

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is set to release the 2012 Census of Agriculture on Friday with more specific data by state and county and by agriculture product. The National Agricultural Statistics Service released a partial report in February. The full 2012 Census of Agriculture will also incl

By Sam Robinson

/ 1 May 2014

What to watch for as USDA readies the 2012 Census of Agriculture

Iowa's Penalty For Sex With Enslaved Prostitute Has Been Pale When Compared To Drug Charges

A bill that passed the Iowa Legislature and was signed by Gov. Terry Branstad boosts penalties for human trafficking. Iowa law had considered human trafficking less serious than drug cases.

By Anne Easker

/ 15 Apr 2014

Iowa's Penalty For Sex With Enslaved Prostitute Has Been Pale When Compared To Drug Charges

‘Ag-gag’ laws on the rise

State legislators throughout the country are passing laws aimed to protect farmers from individuals who use hidden cameras to record images without consent. Recently, Idaho became the first state to have both a modern-day farm protection law and an agriculture disparagement, or “veggie libel,” law.