The ripple effect of our investigative reporting
Earlier this year, the Spencer Reporter in Clay County, Iowa, turned our investigation on pesticides and cancer into a three-part series that appeared in both print and online, calling the findings a matter of “deep interest to and impact on Spencer and Clay County residents.” Our data showed why: In Clay County, home to roughly 16,200 people, our analysis found a cancer rate of 523.8 cases per 100,000 people, about 14% higher than the national average.
When you donate to our summer campaign, you aren’t just supporting one newsroom. You’re providing critical investigative reporting to countless local, regional and even national outlets that otherwise couldn’t provide this depth of coverage.
In more than 1,500 counties across the U.S., only one local news outlet remains, while another 212 have none at all, according to Northwestern University’s Local News Initiative.
Those newspapers and radio stations are often the only reporting outlets left to hold the powerful accountable locally, but few have the resources to pursue months-long investigations into the forces reshaping rural America and our food system.
Our investigations are free to republish because we believe local communities deserve access to in-depth journalism, and we want to ensure it also reaches people working within the ag industry.
Our reporting and data have appeared in congressional testimony, informed academic research, and reached farmers and agribusiness leaders through trade publications like Ag Daily, which has so far republished 14 Investigate Midwest stories this year. We have also brought together researchers, advocates and community members through our own community events, including a virtual panel on pesticides and cancer that drew more than 170 registrants.
With just a few weeks left in our summer campaign, we're running a bit behind with our goal to raise $7,000 goal. Your support before the campaign ends on July 31 will help ensure our independent reporting remains free and accessible to the communities that need it most. Please join other fellow readers and donate today.
— Lauren Cross
assistant editor & audience engagement manager
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.
