Bayer promises to suspend ‘unfair provisions’ in seed contracts for several years, Trump administration announces
The agreement relates to Bayer’s use of loyalty programs to sell its seeds. Federal authorities have said loyalty programs in the seed industry have raised prices for farmers.
In flurry of trading activity, Trump purchases John Deere stock
After one purchase, Trump touted Deere & Co.’s stock price at a rally in Iowa, where he also announced a major investment by the company.
Iowa Sen. Catelin Drey knows her state’s cancer crisis. She’s living it.
Drey’s diagnosis comes amid national attention on Iowa’s cancer crisis, which experts believe could be tied to a “toxic mix” of environmental and health risk factors.
Food prices just had their highest month-to-month jump in years
Since President Trump started a war with Iran, oil prices have spiked, affecting all aspects of the economy.
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Pesticide use and cancer risk rise together across America’s heartland
America’s farmers and farmworkers, their families and neighbors, are being diagnosed with cancer at rates higher than the national average. A growing body of research indicates that pesticides are partly to blame.
pesticides and cancer
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Fertilizer costs are squeezing farmers nationwide
A majority of farmers report they can’t afford all the fertilizer they need as global supply disruptions push up prices.
Bayer lobbying rebounds as Roundup legal fight reaches Supreme Court
A new federal lobbying report shows the company spent more in early 2026 as the courts consider whether federal pesticide warning labels can protect companies from state lawsuit claims.
American farmers bet on solar. Then Trump changed the rules.
We tracked how the collapse of federal rural energy support is ending solar projects across farm country — and costing some developers millions they’ll never get back.
Cancer is a statewide problem in Ohio, including in the pesticide-heavy northwest corner
Ohio has one of the highest cancer rates in the nation, often linked to a variety of factors, including industrial pollution and pesticide use.
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data harvest
With Iran War, food prices will grow faster than originally expected this year, USDA predicts
In late February, President Trump approved attacks on Iran — and potentially blew a hole through a signature campaign promise. …
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Iowans share life lessons at Investigate Midwest event
You’re invited to an evening of live storytelling featuring powerful, personal stories from five Iowa men with backgrounds in journalism, education, comedy, and the arts.
Iowa immigrants fear the Trump administration’s move toward mass deportation
The spread of misinformation has fueled anxiety and alarm within Iowa’s Latino immigrant community. It is estimated that the state is home to more than 52,000 undocumented immigrants.
Midwest farmers advocate for steady policies amid trade challenges
Recent trade policies have imposed tariffs to boost U.S. production, but Midwest agriculture has suffered, losing ground to competitors like Brazil in soybeans and pork. Farmers urge the new administration to prioritize free trade and stable agreements.
