A new immigration strategy shakes agro-industrial rural towns
A US Supreme Court decision expanding ‘reasonable suspicion’ authority is pushing immigration enforcement beyond job sites into rural towns, where a US citizen says an officer told him: ‘We have the right to assume that you’re an illegal alien.’
Burned before by ‘pesticide drift,’ vineyard owners enter growing season bracing for the worst
The Trump administration wants to continue the use of the herbicide dicamba. That’s despite fears it’s killing sensitive plants.
Nueva estrategia migratoria irrumpe en los pueblos rurales agroindustriales
Una decisión de la Corte Suprema de EE.UU., que amplía la autoridad de “sospecha razonable”, está llevando la aplicación de las leyes migratorias más allá de los lugares de trabajo hacia los pueblos rurales, donde un ciudadano estadounidense afirma que un agente le dijo: “Tenemos derecho a asumir que usted es un extranjero ilegal”.
North Dakota’s Red River Valley a pesticide and cancer hotspot
The state’s easternmost counties have the highest rates of agrichemical use and cancer rates.
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You can’t gaslight food affordability
Prices are higher in 5 out of 6 tracked food-at-home categories, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Iowa’s high cancer rate linked to nitrate, pesticides, PFAS and radon, new report finds
The new analysis combines science on environmental risk factors with the lived experiences of Iowans battling cancer.
Investigate Midwest’s Juan Vassallo wins first place in NAAJ writing contest
The NAAJ judge praised the reporting for its depth, use of sources, and ability to connect policy decisions to real-world impacts.
High pesticide-use counties often have higher-than-average late-stage cancer rates
Glyphosate data analysis shows connection to most aggressive forms of cancer across the nation’s agricultural heartland.
Argentina rarely sold beef to the US. Now, the country surpasses major trade partners.
While the domestic cattle inventory declines, reliance on South American beef products increases.
Trump’s immigration surges in Midwest cities correlate with less employment, researchers find
The number of private sector workers declined in states such as Illinois and Minnesota after mass ICE presence, according to an analysis of employment data by UC Merced researchers.
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Opinion
Expect more turmoil and change for the 2026 ag sector
Armed with only the best of prognostication tools, here are the 2026 agricultural stories that people will be talking about.…
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.
