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Region

High water and prolonged flooding are changing the ecosystem of the Upper Mississippi River, a new report finds

By Madeline Heim, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | June 28, 2022

The report shows increasingly wetter conditions in the Upper Mississippi over the past few decades, a trend that — spurred by climate change and land-use practices — looks likely to continue.

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Opinion

Opinion: A big win for plant-based meat companies
By Dave Dickey, Columnist | June 30, 2022
When it comes to product labeling Big Meat thinks consumers have the brains of a Regulan bloodworm (yeah, a Star Trek reference). For reasons beyond comprehension, Big Meat believes Walmart shoppers
Graphic of the Week

GRAPHIC: Beef and pork producers are earning less while meat consumers are paying more than a year ago
By Kendall Little, Investigate Midwest | June 30, 2022
The situation might be due to fewer cows and hogs available available.
Government

‘Time bomb’ lead pipes set to be removed. But first water utilities have to find them
By Allison Kite, Missouri Independent | June 28, 2022
Water utilities have never been required to thoroughly inventory lead pipes except in a crisis. Health experts warn problems with these “underground poisonous straws” can arise out of the blue.
Opinion

Opinion: Big Meat hoping Supreme Court Hail-Mary comes up roses
By Dave Dickey, Commentator | June 23, 2022
Desperate times often require desperate measures. That's the position Big-Meat finds itself in – desperately trying to kill California's Proposition 12.
National

TOP TAKEAWAYS: Here are 5 important things to know from the new congressional investigation into Seresto collars
By Midwest Center Staff | June 16, 2022
Read the top takeaways from the House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy's 16-month investigation.
IowaWatch

GRAPHIC: USDA reports over 13 million birds affected by bird flu in Iowa
By Aruni Soni, Investigate Midwest | June 16, 2022
Overall in the U.S., 40 million birds have been affected.
Elanco

UPDATE: Congressional subcommittee: EPA must cancel popular Seresto collar over link to pet deaths
By Johnathan Hettinger, Investigate Midwest | June 15, 2022
In a 22-page report that heavily cites reporting and documents published by Investigate Midwest and USA TODAY, as well as never-before-released information, the subcommittee reveals new details about how Seresto “may be the most dangerous flea and tick product on the market” and that the EPA knew it.
Opinion

Opinion: U.S. Supreme Court needs to tread carefully on glyphosate challenge
By Dave Dickey, Commentator | June 13, 2022
U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar has dropped the hammer on Bayer AG's attempt before the U.S. Supreme Court to end Roundup weedkiller litigation concerning the EPA approved active chemical glyphosate, recommending the court not take up Bayer's challenge.
IowaWatch

Few Iowa colleges have Native land acknowledgments
By Olivia Allen, for Investigate Midwest | June 9, 2022
Native students say colleges and universities publicly acknowledging their land used to belong to Natives can bridge cultural gaps.
Graphic of the Week

GRAPHIC: Public funding of agriculture R&D has dropped precipitously since early 2000s
By Sky Chadde, Investigate Midwest | June 9, 2022
America has fallen behind other countries, particularly China, in publicly funding agriculture research and development.
meatpacking

OSHA cites Seaboard Foods pork plant for failing to document worker injuries and illnesses
By Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest | June 8, 2022
In May, the agency forced Seaboard Foods to make changes to its Guymon, Oklahoma, facility to better protect workers.
COVID-19 and Meatpacking

OSHA requires JBS to implement disease preparedness measures at seven plants
By Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest | June 2, 2022
A team of third-party experts will help reduce employee coronavirus exposure and prepare for potential future outbreaks.
IowaWatch

‘Where is she?’: Iowa’s Indigenous communities grapple with crisis of missing and murdered women
By Amelia Schafer, for Investigate Midwest | May 26, 2022
A missing tribal member can be like a "dark cloud looming" over small Native communities, a tribal police commissioner said.
Graphic of the Week

GRAPHIC: Soil management accounts for half of all agricultural greenhouse gas emissions
By Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest | May 25, 2022
Agriculture accounts for 11% of the country’s greenhouse gasses, according to Congressional researchers.
Opinion

Opinion: Proposed FDA water safety rule comes up short?
By Dave Dickey, Commentator, Investigate Midwest | May 25, 2022
It's been more than a decade in the making, but sometime, perhaps later this year, the Food and Drug Administration will issue what it hopes will be a final national produce water safety standard that effectively keeps manure and other sources of pathogens out of water that grows our fresh produce. And it likely will be an utter failure.