Johnathan Hettinger, Investigate Midwest

'A pretty big sea change': EPA says it will consider endangered species when approving new pesticides — without the threat of lawsuits

Under the new approach, the EPA recently banned certain pesticides in more than a 100 U.S. counties.

By Johnathan Hettinger, Investigate Midwest

/ 24 Feb 2022

'A pretty big sea change': EPA says it will consider endangered species when approving new pesticides — without the threat of lawsuits

A giant investment firm paid a university to study one of its biggest assets — farmland

In 2013, mammoth U.S. investment company TIAA-CREF gave $5 million to the University of Illinois — to study an area of investment where the company has made a, sometimes controversial, name for itself.

By Dana Cronin, Illinois Public Media and Johnathan Hettinger, Investigate Midwest

/ 16 Nov 2021

A giant investment firm paid a university to study one of its biggest assets — farmland

Corporate money keeps university ag schools ‘relevant,’ and makes them targets of donor criticism

Large donors can put universities in potentially awkward positions when faculty conclusions conflict with the interests of those benefactors. Data collected by Harvest Public Media and Investigate Midwest shows corporations have given at least $170 million to ag colleges in the past decade.

By johnathan-hettinger-and-sky-chadde-investigate-midwest-dana-cronin-katie-peikes-and-seth-bodine-harvest-public-media, Johnathan Hettinger, Investigate Midwest, Sky Chadde, Investigate Midwest, Dana Cronin, Illinois Public Media, Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio/Harvest Public Media and Seth Bodine, Harvest Public Media

/ 15 Nov 2021

Corporate money keeps university ag schools ‘relevant,’ and makes them targets of donor criticism

Maker of Seresto defends flea and tick collar amid calls for a ban over safety concerns

The company behind the popular Seresto flea-and-tick collar has filed a lengthy defense of the safety of its product amid calls for federal regulars to ban over concerns of harm and death to the pets who wear it.

By Johnathan Hettinger, Investigate Midwest

/ 8 Nov 2021

Maker of Seresto defends flea and tick collar amid calls for a ban over safety concerns

SERESTO SHORT-FORM: What we've discovered so far about the popular collars linked to pet injuries and deaths

Read the most important takeaways from our continuing investigation into the popular flea-and-tick collar for pets.

By Johnathan Hettinger, Investigate Midwest

/ 4 Nov 2021

SERESTO SHORT-FORM: What we've discovered so far about the popular collars linked to pet injuries and deaths

Seresto flea collar adverse incidents climb after company submits 11,000 more reports to EPA

The maker of a popular flea and tick collar did not report thousands of adverse incidents to federal authorities as required until after an investigation by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting (Investigate Midwest) and USA TODAY was published.

By Johnathan Hettinger, Investigate Midwest

/ 24 Sep 2021

Seresto flea collar adverse incidents climb after company submits 11,000 more reports to EPA

EPA asks Bayer, BASF for more information on 2021 dicamba damage

The federal agency said it is “extremely concerned” about damage in 2021, just one year after dicamba was re-registered for five years. The letters sent to chemical companies also alleged they have not shared all relevant information with the agency.

By Johnathan Hettinger, Investigate Midwest

/ 10 Sep 2021

EPA asks Bayer, BASF for more information on 2021 dicamba damage

EPA and Bayer had close contact in 2020 reinstatement of dicamba

In summer 2020, a federal court ruled the EPA showed too much deference to Bayer when it approved the company’s dicamba herbicide. This invalidated the approval. But, weeks later, Bayer began working the EPA again, according to newly obtained emails.

By Johnathan Hettinger, Investigate Midwest

/ 1 Sep 2021

EPA and Bayer had close contact in 2020 reinstatement of dicamba

The EPA internally raised concerns about Seresto flea collar for years, new records reveal

As early as 2015, the EPA identified that Seresto "ranked #1 by a wide margin" when it came to incident reports of pet death and harm.

By Johnathan Hettinger, Investigate Midwest

/ 13 Aug 2021

The EPA internally raised concerns about Seresto flea collar for years, new records reveal

EPA opens public comment period on petition to ban Seresto collars

The petition comes about four months after an Investigate Midwest and USA TODAY story found the popular flea and tick collar had been linked to about 1,700 pet deaths and more than 75,000 incidents of harm.

By Johnathan Hettinger, Investigate Midwest

/ 12 Jul 2021

EPA opens public comment period on petition to ban Seresto collars

The Biden administration has defended some of former President Trump’s pesticide decisions

Although President Joe Biden has promised to limit people’s exposure to “dangerous chemicals and pesticides,” his administration has defended several actions by the Trump administration that generally deregulated pesticides.

By Johnathan Hettinger, Investigate Midwest

/ 8 Jul 2021

The Biden administration has defended some of former President Trump’s pesticide decisions

Seresto pet collars under EPA review, but the fight over their safety could take years

More than a decade ago, nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council petitioned the EPA to ban the use of a pesticide called tetrachlorvinphos in pet products like flea and tick collars. The organization cited studies showing that the chemical, a possible carcinogen, had been linked to brain and nerv

By Johnathan Hettinger, Investigate Midwest

/ 24 Jun 2021

'A pretty big sea change': EPA says it will consider endangered species when approving new pesticides — without the threat of lawsuits

A giant investment firm paid a university to study one of its biggest assets — farmland

Corporate money keeps university ag schools ‘relevant,’ and makes them targets of donor criticism

Maker of Seresto defends flea and tick collar amid calls for a ban over safety concerns

SERESTO SHORT-FORM: What we've discovered so far about the popular collars linked to pet injuries and deaths

Seresto flea collar adverse incidents climb after company submits 11,000 more reports to EPA

EPA asks Bayer, BASF for more information on 2021 dicamba damage

EPA and Bayer had close contact in 2020 reinstatement of dicamba

The EPA internally raised concerns about Seresto flea collar for years, new records reveal

EPA opens public comment period on petition to ban Seresto collars

The Biden administration has defended some of former President Trump’s pesticide decisions

Seresto pet collars under EPA review, but the fight over their safety could take years

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