April 30, 2025 The Midwest Center For Investigative Reporting
Where our work meets our why
Welcome to the first edition of Rooted, a members-only newsletter from Investigate Midwest.
First off, thank you. Members like you are the backbone of Investigate Midwest. While we’re grateful for the foundations and grantors who help sustain our work, it’s your direct support that allows us to remain independent, dig deeper, and stay rooted in the communities we serve. This newsletter is just one way we want to show you what that support makes possible.
Each month, we'll highlight the reporters, stories, and investigations that shape our newsroom. We’ll share what motivates our team, the challenges they face, and why your support makes this work possible.
To kick off, we're excited to feature an interview with Sky Chadde, Investigate Midwest’s senior reporter.
Sky joined Investigate Midwest in late 2019 and has since reported extensively on issues like labor abuses in agriculture and food production. His work includes a major investigation with USA TODAY that uncovered how the meatpacking industry pushed employees to work in deadly conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, he became the newsroom’s first managing editor, before returning to full-time reporting in 2024.
As the grandson of dairy farmers in Wisconsin, Sky understands the importance of understanding the realities of farming — and how corporate decisions, labor policies, and government oversight (or lack thereof) affect the people on the ground.
With appreciation,
Lauren Cross
Assistant Editor & Audience Engagement Manager
Can you tell readers a little bit about your beat and your core interests?
I cover corporate accountability and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. I examine how major agricultural powers, such as Bayer, ADM and the Farm Bureau, shape and influence the industry. I also look at how powerful players affect the day-to-day lives of farmers and agricultural workers.
What motivates you to do the work you do at Investigate Midwest?
My grandparents were dairy farmers in Wisconsin, and my mom grew up milking cows. I know a little bit about how hard a life in farming can be, and I want to understand the forces at play that can make it so difficult.
What story are you most proud of working on last year, and why?
The story on Corteva Agriscience's supply chain. The company has said it is dedicated to hiring contractors that align with its corporate ethics, but it has also hired a major labor contractor in Iowa that has been repeatedly investigated by the government.
I think this story shows Investigate Midwest at its best. My colleague, Mónica Cordero, was able to find people who worked for the contractor, elevating their voices. It took a long time to gain the workers' trust, but, with them, we were able to shine a light on practices that otherwise might not have been exposed. We have the privilege at Investigate Midwest to take the necessary time to uncover important facts, and this story demonstrates that.
You’ve covered Trump-era policies shaping the meatpacking industry during the pandemic. What questions are you trying to answer in your reporting this time around?
What I’m trying to understand right now is how the changes being made at the USDA will affect the agriculture industry and the country long-term. Similar to other departments, the USDA is trying to cut the number of federal workers. These are the folks who combat bird flu (and other animal and plant diseases), help farmers access federal funding and help sustain rural communities. How will the cuts affect the next generations of farmers and consumers?
Why should readers support your work at Investigate Midwest?
If you're interested in agriculture or our food system, there is so much nuance and context to know. Let us help you get a better handle on the issues at play. We're here everyday trying to uncover important facts and to hold major agricultural players accountable. We know y'all have busy lives, but, if you help us out, we can help you out with the information you need.
ICYMI: Reader survey results are in! Here's what you shared.
By Lauren Cross, Investigate Midwest
In February, we launched our first audience survey and kept it open for five weeks — and your feedback is already shaping what comes next.
While the sample size (124) is not enough to be fully representative of our readership base, these responses reflect some of our most engaged readers — many with deep roots in agriculture, rural communities and food systems.
Read more here.
P.S. Since you believe in the work we’re doing, do us a favor — share our stories with a friend. Word of mouth helps us grow.
Here are a few of our latest stories worth passing along:
- Sewage fertilizer can cause illness and harm the environment. Why are some Oklahoma officials resistant to a ban?
- Opinion: Canceling unsubstantiated climate-smart claims should start with Tyson Foods
- After forcing resignations, USDA tries to walk back staff cuts and calls frontline workers ‘vital’
- SNAP spending at farmers’ markets grew 431% over a decade and held steady post-pandemic
Investigate Midwest is an independent, nonprofit newsroom. Our mission is to serve the public as a watchdog over influential agricultural corporations and institutions through in-depth and data-driven investigative journalism.
