Data Harvest (formerly Graphic of the Week) is Investigate Midwest’s way of making complex agricultural data easy to understand. Through engaging graphics, charts, and maps, we break down key trends to help readers quickly grasp the forces shaping farming, food systems, and rural communities. Want us to explore other data trends? Let us know here.
Want us to explore other data trends? Let us know here.
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.
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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.
Farmers plan to use federal bridge payments mainly to reduce debt
A new survey shows nearly half of producers intend to use the payments to pay down debt rather than expand operations or invest in equipment.
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.
Farm bankruptcies jumped 46% in 2025 as debt loads and costs rise
Chapter 12 filings climbed to 315 in the US. That’s a third straight increase annually as higher production costs and expanding borrowing put new pressure on farmers in 2026.
3 charts to better understand the potential link between pesticides and cancer
Most counties with the highest pesticide use also have cancer rates above the national average.
Cattle raised for beef are heavier than ever, raising new concerns in the industry about animal health and welfare
With the national cattle herd in long term decline, producers have increasingly relied on larger animals to keep up with demand.
Ag producers in worst 3-month cost-price gap since 2015, new USDA data shows
The analysis of federal price indexes also shows agricultural producers have consistently paid more to operate than they have received in return, with costs outpacing prices in every month since at least 2015.
In 2025, growers grew more anxious about Brazil’s edge in global soybean markets
Brazil’s dominance in China’s soybean market has only deepened since the Trump administration’s tariff fight.
Midwest and Southwest states see major increase in temporary H-2A workers, despite slow growth in program
These visas offer a pathway for increased farm labor, but have a documented history of wage theft and poor working conditions.
US ag exports drop in Asia, but increase in the Western Hemisphere
Since 2022, agriculture exports to China have decreased by more than 55%, but there have been increases to Canada, Mexico and some South American countries.
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