USDA wants to revive the cotton industry. Experts aren’t sure that’s possible.
The ‘Great American Cotton Plan’ has support from industry leaders, lawmakers and MAHA. As another wave of Trump’s tariffs hit cotton producers, experts ask: Can the plan overcome decades of unsustainable practices, supply chain erosion and Brazil’s growing lead?
Report: Big Food companies regularly sue to stop or slow down public health policies
The newsroom Lighthouse Reports, along with several partners around the globe, found food companies have sued more than 200 times in the past 15 years as governments have tried to rein in unhealthy ingredients in people’s diets.
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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.
pesticides and cancer
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Illinois farmers saw nation’s biggest jump in seasonal planting diesel costs, analysis finds
Farmers nationwide paid nearly two-thirds more for diesel during the 2026 planting season than in 2025, adding roughly $1.4 billion in fuel costs, according to a congressional analysis.
US beef exports decrease, while imports increase under Trump
USDA projections show imports rising through 2027 as a shrinking cattle herd forces the US to buy more beef abroad. But some ranchers say the policy betrays President Trump’s America First agenda and does little to lower prices for American consumers.
Illinois led the US in direct, producer support staff losses, report says
Farm Service Agency staff help producers navigate financial aid and disasters. They also give producers a voice through advisory boards.
Most of America’s beginning farmers don’t farm full time.
The 2022 Census of Agriculture offers a snapshot of producers with 10 years or less of farming experience and shows how they differ from US farmers overall.
Snapshot: What ICE arrests looked like in farm counties last year
While the numbers are small compared to the overall arrests, data obtained by the Deportation Data Project show farm counties saw an increase in ICE arrests last year as the Trump administration pursued mass deportations of immigrants.
Data centers have moved into rural America. So have the concerns.
New survey results show rural residents are more worried than urban and suburban Americans about the impacts of data centers, especially when it comes to electricity costs and the changing use of farmland, as AI infrastructure expands.
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data harvest
Major meatpackers have taken in more than half a billion in tax subsidies since 2006
State and local governments have paid more than half a billion dollars in tax breaks to meat processing companies over…
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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.
