‘In every room, every hand would go up’: Panelists discuss cancer, pesticides and environmental risks
Decades of industrialized farming, pressure from chemical manufacturers and federal farm policy have left many producers relying heavily on pesticides.
Pesticides detected hundreds of feet away from parks and playgrounds in these 10 Illinois counties
A new statewide study calls for more laws to guard against ‘chemical trespass,’ as agrichemicals were found at schools and parks across the state. The study comes just days after Illinois lawmakers rejected a bill requiring advance spray notice to those sites.
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.
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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.
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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.
With Iran War, food prices will grow faster than originally expected this year, USDA predicts
In late February, the US Department of Agriculture had already predicted food prices in 2026 would increase faster than inflation. A month into the war, some prices will likely skyrocket.
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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data harvest
Farmers plan to use federal bridge payments mainly to reduce debt
Nearly half of American farmers plan to use federal assistance to pay down debt rather than invest in their operations,…
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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.
