Animal waste and agrochemicals are leading cause of fish kills in Iowa waterways
Agriculture is the lifeblood of Iowa, but it also contributes to mass die-offs of fish in the state’s waterways.
GRAPHIC: Just 3 states account for one-third of H-2A jobs, data shows
Florida, California and Georgia farmers bring in the most agricultural workers through the temporary visa program.
Millets — ancient drought-resistant grains — could help the Midwest survive climate change
The United Nations declared 2023 the International Year of Millets. Some Midwestern farmers are already growing the grain.
Cheap flea-and-tick products elusive? Lawsuit claims it’s intentional.
Tevra Brands claimed Bayer schemed to keep generic versions of Advantage II and K9 Advantix II flea-and-tick products off the market. Bayer denied it.
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Iowa judge overturns Supreme Beef manure plan approval
The April 28 ruling in the lawsuit by the Sierra Club of Iowa and Trout Unlimited against the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Supreme Beef says the state agency used “illogical interpretations and applications” to approve a nutrient management plan for an 11,600-head cattle feedlot near Monona, Iowa.
Iowa House approves budget that could cut Iowa’s water sensors
The Iowa House passed — and sent on to Gov. Kim Reynolds — a budget that could eliminate state funding for water quality sensors on Iowa’s rivers and streams.
Supreme Court denies Tyson Foods’ request to hear workers’ COVID-19 death cases in federal court
Nearly three years after the deaths, the lawsuits have yet to move forward to discovery or trial.
Iowa study: Blocking carbon pipelines would devastate ethanol production
A new study released by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association details financial losses of more than $10 billion a year if the state’s ethanol plants do not have a means to sequester carbon and reap the rewards from new federal tax credits.
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Investigate Midwest a finalist for work on Illinois worker protection
Sky Chadde and Amanda Pérez Pintado spent months reviewing the state system and detailed how workers had been exposed to pesticides.
As the trucker shortage deepens, some groups are trying to make it easier to become a driver
Since before the pandemic, there’s been a big shortage of truck drivers. It’s affecting the agriculture industry, which is seeking solutions.
GRAPHIC: Feds are investigating more cases with child labor violations, data shows
Since 2015, the number of cases has increased by more than 50%.
Technology goes beyond milking
New technologies are helping dairy farmers with other parts of the work — feed and manure scraping — aside from milking.
For years, farmers milked cows by hand. Today, technology is doing more of the work.
Dairy producers see improved efficiency, cheaper labor, calmer cows; the key challenge: does the price tag of high-tech work for producers?
GRAPHIC: Dairy cows produce millions of pounds of milk in a day
The five top milk producing states in 2021 were California, Wisconsin, Idaho, Texas, and New York, according to USDA data.
Opinion
Big Meat lobbyists are bullying lawmakers into submission
When just four corporations — Tyson Foods, JBS USA, Cargill and National Beef — account for 85% of all U.S.…
