Opinion: A new federal lawsuit aims to block Prop 12, threatening California’s landmark animal welfare law and raising stakes for farmers and consumers alike.| Investigate Midwest
Six months into her tenure, Brooke Rollins has reduced USDA staff, sidelined science, shifted agency culture, and expanded DOGE’s influence.| Investigate Midwest
The writing is on the wall. Should John Deere choose to defend itself in court rather than attempt to reach a settlement, it very much may be handed a massive spanking by the Justice Department, which alleges the company’s repair restrictions violate federal and state antitrust laws. See here, here and here. In a nutshell, […]| Investigate Midwest
KLEVENVILLE, Wis. — Two piglets jostled in the barnyard as Jess D’Souza stepped outside. Neither youngster seemed to be winning their morning game of tug-of-war over an empty feed bag. Jess approached the chicken coop. She swung open the weathered door. The flood of fowl scampered up a hill to a cluster of empty food […]| Investigate Midwest
The April posting in the Federal Register by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was a bombshell. The feds are proposing to eliminate the regulatory Endangered Species Act’s definition of “harm.” Full stop. The ESA declares that it is illegal to “take” any member of a protected species […]| Investigate Midwest
For April Hemmes, a fourth-generation farmer on land her family has worked for almost 125 years in north-central Iowa, life is guided by a simple philosophy: “Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.” It’s a mindset that has helped her navigate extreme weather, market shocks and trade disputes. But this year, Hemmes said, […]| Investigate Midwest