The tariff wars waged by President Trump’s two administrations have reshaped U.S. agricultural trade with China. The first trade war, in 2018 and 2019, opened the door for South American countries to gain market share in soybean and corn sales to China. Unlike the first, this second trade war is global in scope. Its full […] The post Tariff escalations trigger another decline in US farm exports to China appeared first on Investigate Midwest.| Investigate Midwest
If you live in Champaign County, odds are you’re close to soybean fields – and to the weed killers sprayed on them. A new analysis by Tufts University researchers found that 45% of the county’s residents lived near heavy 2,4-D use in 2023, nearly double the share in 2017. Statewide, farmers applied more than 2 […] The post Use of this 2,4-D weed killer is exploding in Illinois farming country appeared first on Investigate Midwest.| Investigate Midwest
Corn is ubiquitous. Americans eat a lot of corn products. There’s the obvious…corn tortillas, corn flakes and corn chips just to name a few. Beyond that the manufactured food industry uses processed corn in a majority of foods served to the public. Sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup. Thickeners like corn starch. Additives like dextrose, […] The post A food battle royal is brewing appeared first on Investigate Midwest.| Investigate Midwest
On Sunday, Sept. 14, from 5 to 8 p.m., Investigate Midwest invites you to join in the fun at Walker Homestead, just outside Iowa City, during our annual fundraiser, Sunset on the Farm. This year’s gathering will feature unlimited wood-fired pizza and fresh salad, live music, a silent auction, and s’mores by the fire. Guests […] The post Sunset on the Farm returns Sept. 14 to benefit Investigate Midwest appeared first on Investigate Midwest.| Investigate Midwest
This story was originally published by The New Lede. Roughly a quarter of the nation’s large cattle, dairy and hog farms are located in just 30 U.S. counties, a new satellite-mapping study has found. The research also links large farms — whether in these dense hotspots or scattered elsewhere — to elevated air pollution. The study supports […] The post Study maps factory farm hotspots as federal court tosses emissions lawsuit appeared first on Investigate Midwest.| Investigate Midwest
Unyielding is a University of Missouri School of Journalism project for Investigate Midwest. With billions of dollars at stake, Bayer has gone on the offensive. Billboards along major highways. A social media offensive. Tens of thousands of dollars in campaign donations in Missouri alone. And a major push in at least 11 states to change pesticide […] The post Pesticide politics: Inside the corporate push to limit liability appeared first on Investigate Midwest.| Investigate Midwest
Unyielding is a University of Missouri School of Journalism project for Investigate Midwest. William Caplinger, a superintendent for a commercial construction company, runs an organic farm in Sulfur Springs, Arkansas, about one hour from Joplin, Missouri. He and his wife, Heather, raise all their food for consumption, completely chemical and pesticide-free. Caplinger has Stage 4 prostate […] The post A farmer’s fight: Cancer, chemicals and a return to organic living appeared first on I...| Investigate Midwest
Unyielding is a University of Missouri School of Journalism project for Investigate Midwest. Over the hum of blow dryers and the flurry of hairdressing shears, Bobbi Bibbs welcomed clients into Studio 119, a salon in the heart of downtown Kennett, for 19 years. As someone who worked “behind the chair,” all of her trims, dyes and […] The post A cancer fight in rural Missouri: ‘Being from a small town right now is saving my life.’ appeared first on Investigate Midwest.| Investigate Midwest
Unyielding is a University of Missouri School of Journalism project for Investigate Midwest. Missouri has nearly 27 million acres of farmland. Nearly all of it is blanketed by pesticides. Crop farming is integral to Missouri’s economy, and pesticides are meant to ease the process. But these substances also come with risks. The level of risk differs […]| Investigate Midwest
