“Keeping the continuity but changing the label, and unfortunately they didn’t see it that way coming in the door. Now they’re having to reinvent the wheel.”
— Peter Carstensen,
former DOJ antitrust attorney, professor emeritus at
the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School
A familiar fight and growing frustration for farmers
When I joined Investigate Midwest in 2024, I knew agriculture was big business. What I didn’t realize was just how much power had become concentrated in the hands of a relatively small number of companies. The deeper I’ve gotten into our reporting, the more I’ve seen why consolidation remains one of the more persistent concerns facing farmers.
From the Obama administration's antitrust hearings to Biden's coordinated effort to tackle the issue and now President Trump’s focus on competition in agriculture, presidents from both parties have pledged stronger oversight of increasingly concentrated markets, particularly in industries such as seeds and meat processing. Yet experts say farmers have grown frustrated with efforts tied to rhetoric instead of results.
This week, senior reporter Sky Chadde examines the latest chapter in that story.
The Trump administration has made competition in ag a public priority, announcing new efforts to address concerns in the seed industry. But Sky writes that federal officials fired the very team that could have carried out USDA’s initiative to focus on those same efforts.
The story explores what happened to the program, why experts say it mattered and why efforts to increase competition have repeatedly struggled to gain traction.
— Lauren Cross, assitstant editor & audience manager
7 weeks, $7K: Warming up to launch our summer campaign
By Lauren Cross, Investigate Midwest
On June 16, Investigate Midwest will launch its annual summer fundraising campaign. It will run through July 31.
As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on a mix of foundation grants and reader support to fund our reporting. Grants play an important role in helping us investigate complex issues, but true sustainability means growing our reach with more readers becoming sustaining donors who make this work possible.
We know fundraising emails aren't everyone's favorite. We also believe it's important to be transparent about how our newsroom is funded and why we ask for support.
In the meantime, thank you for reading, sharing our work and helping us grow. Whether you've donated, attended an event, responded to a survey, sent us a tip or simply spent time with our reporting, we're grateful you're part of this community.
DATA HARVEST: Low cattle numbers raise fears of another beef packing plant shutdown
By Juan Vassallo, Investigate Midwest
The U.S. cattle herd has fallen to its lowest level in more than 75 years, and some industry experts warn that another major beef packing plant could shut down as a result.
Years of persistent drought have degraded pasture conditions across much of the country, leaving many ranchers with no choice but to sell more of their cattle and reduce their herds. The resulting decline in cattle supplies has squeezed beef packers that rely on high slaughter volumes to remain profitable.
In January, Tyson Foods closed its beef packing plant in Lexington, Nebraska, citing challenging market conditions. The closure eliminated more than 3,000 jobs and dealt a significant economic blow to the rural town of about 10,000 people.
ICYMI: Blurring the lines
In this story from February, senior reporter Sky Chadde examined court records and U.S. Department of Homeland Security documents showing ICE agents have been blurring the lines of probable cause to detain immigrants without criminal records.
