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Health

Watchdog group petitions EPA to ban Seresto pet collar after thousands report harm

By Johnathan Hettinger, Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting | April 8, 2021

EPA data has linked Seresto flea and tick collars to about 1,700 pet deaths.

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Agribusiness

Union files OSHA complaint against one of the largest pork plants in the country
By Madison McVan, Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting | April 8, 2021
The complaint states Seaboard Foods in Guymon, Oklahoma, did not report coronavirus cases to federal authorities and also failed to implement worker protections, such as social distancing measures.
coronavirus

Infected, Exhausted, Distressed
By Midwest Center staff | April 8, 2021
A year on, meatpacking workers continue to confront COVID-19. Read their stories.
Opinion

Opinion: EPA is wrong to allow dicamba be sprayed this growing season
By Dave Dickey, Commentator | April 7, 2021
We now have an admission of guilt from EPA that it wrongly issued 2018 dicamba registrations for Bayer's XtendiMax herbicide, BASF's Engenia herbicide and Corteva's FeXapan herbicide. New acting assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff said as much to EPA staffers in an internal e-mail on March 10 that read in part:
Climate Change and Agribusiness

Once climate change deniers, the agriculture industry positions itself as part of the solution
By Ignacio Calderon, USA TODAY Network Agriculture Data Fellow | April 1, 2021
Recently, a coalition of Big Ag companies and groups formed the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance, which has the stated aim to help address a warming planet.
Coronavirus

GRAPHIC: COVID-19 death rates in rural communities surpassed urban ones in September
By Sky Chadde, Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting | April 1, 2021
In December, small towns had a rate of about 10 deaths a week, according to a USDA analysis.
Agribusiness

Illinois billionaire Shahid Khan investing in thousands of acres of the state’s farmland
By Marissa Plescia, Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting and Dylan Tiger, CU-CitizenAccess | April 1, 2021
In recent years, Urbana billionaire Shahid Khan has added to investments by quietly purchasing farmland through a company he owns called Baloo Enterprises LLC. A spokesperson for Khan confirmed earlier this month that Khan has purchased roughly 24,000 acres of farmland in central Illinois.
Opinion

Opinion: USDA was duplicit in passing new pork inspection final rule
By Dave Dickey, Commentator | March 31, 2021
Everybody kept telling us that USDA's new Swine Inspection Service was just dandy. Former USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue literally gushed and fawned over it:
Espanol

Undocumented immigrants qualify for rent relief, but Wisconsin sends mixed signals
By Vanessa Swales, Wisconsin Watch | March 29, 2021
Some regional nonprofits administering Gov. Tony Evers’ $322 million emergency rental assistance program may be unintentionally discouraging non-U.S. citizens from applying — even though immigration status holds no bearing on eligibility for the federally financed program.
Health

Class-action lawsuit filed against producer of Seresto flea and tick collars
By Johnathan Hettinger, Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting | March 26, 2021
The lawsuit cites reporting from the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting and USA TODAY that showed the EPA has received tens of thousands of reports linking the collar to incidents of injured pets.
Coronavirus

‘We need an emergency plan now’: Housing problems persist for Imperial County farmworkers
By Jennifer Bowman, inewsource | March 26, 2021
With a history of double-digit unemployment and poor health indicators, Imperial County was among the hardest hit in the state in the early months of COVID-19. Its farmworkers, the backbone of the county’s $4.5 billion agriculture industry, have continued their high-risk work during the pandemic.
Climate Change and Agribusiness

Alpine chicken rancher rejected for fire insurance. He’s not alone in California.
By Camille von Kaenel, inewsource | March 26, 2021
San Diego County’s nearly $1.8 billion agriculture industry is facing significant risks as fire insurance becomes harder for farmers to get. Insurers are reluctant to offer policies in rural areas where climate change has increased the risk of destructive brush fires.
Graphic of the Week

GRAPHIC: Environmental regulation enforcement varies widely from state to state
By Madison McVan, Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting | March 24, 2021
The number of enforcement actions and the size of fines levied against companies for violating environmental protection laws is vastly different from state to state.
Agribusiness

As regulations vanish, one Missouri county is ground zero for factory farming debate
By Mallory Daily, for the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting | March 22, 2021
The state eliminated local control over large animal feeding operations. Some rural residents want that power back.
Health

House subcommittee seeks voluntary recall of Seresto flea and tick collars
By Johnathan Hettinger, Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting | March 18, 2021
A Congressional subcommittee has asked Elanco to voluntarily recall its Seresto flea and tick collars, following a March 2 Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting and USA TODAY story on thousands of incident reports about pet and human harm linked to the use of the collar.
Graphic of the Week

GRAPHIC: Seed and fertilizer make up more than half of the operating costs for corn and soybean producers
By Ignacio Calderon, USA TODAY Network Agriculture Data Fellow | March 18, 2021
Seeds and fertilizers make up 62% of the operating costs to produce corn and 51% of the operating costs to produce soybeans, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.