Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest

Trump ag secretary Sonny Perdue personally lobbied to keep meatpacking plants open during pandemic, emails show

It’s well-established that Trump administration officials wanted meatpacking plants to keep operating, often with industry pressure, as workers fell ill and died by the dozens. But new emails obtained by nonprofit Public Citizen show Perdue personally lobbying to keep plants open, including pressing

By madison-mcvan-eli-hoff-and-sky-chadde-investigate-midwest, Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest, Eli Hoff, Investigate Midwest and Sky Chadde, Investigate Midwest

/ 2 Jul 2021

Trump ag secretary Sonny Perdue personally lobbied to keep meatpacking plants open during pandemic, emails show

Some incarcerated meatpacking workers spent ‘100 percent’ of their time in high-risk settings during pandemic

Some meatpacking plant workers found themselves at the intersection of two of the riskiest settings during the pandemic: correctional facilities and meatpacking plants.

By Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest

/ 16 Jun 2021

Some incarcerated meatpacking workers spent ‘100 percent’ of their time in high-risk settings during pandemic

GRAPHIC: The people who pick America’s fruits and vegetables are getting older

The average age of farmworkers born outside the U.S. steadily increased from 2008 to 2019, while the average age of U.S.-born workers has stayed about the same

By Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest

/ 16 Jun 2021

GRAPHIC: The people who pick America’s fruits and vegetables are getting older

In what's likely a first, a meatpacking plant employee won a COVID-19 workers' comp case

Many workers compensation claims have been denied throughout the pandemic. But the court ruled the JBS employee was infected with COVID-19 at the plant and should be compensated for lost wages after he fell ill.

By Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest

/ 21 May 2021

Three people in white jackets and blue hard hats stand in front of cattle carcasses at a meatpacking plant assembly line.

GRAPHIC: East Asia leads world in purchases of U.S. meat

Since 2016, meat and livestock exports to China have increased 75 percent. China displaced Mexico last year as the 2nd-largest buyer of U.S. meat.

By Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest

/ 19 May 2021

GRAPHIC: East Asia leads world in purchases of U.S. meat

COVID-19 outbreak at Smithfield Foods meatpacking plant in Missouri likely larger than originally known, OSHA documents say

Smithfield Foods has refused to say how many employees have fallen ill at its Milan, Missouri, plant. But OSHA records say at least two workers died and possibly as many as 300 had COVID-19 or had come into contact with someone who did.

By Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest

/ 10 May 2021

COVID-19 outbreak at Smithfield Foods meatpacking plant in Missouri likely larger than originally known, OSHA documents say

GRAPHIC: As industry pushed fears of meat shortage, exports increased

Trade data shows the value of American meat exports reached its highest level since 2014.

By Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest

/ 21 Apr 2021

GRAPHIC: As industry pushed fears of meat shortage, exports increased

Union files OSHA complaint against one of the largest pork plants in the country

The complaint states Seaboard Foods in Guymon, Oklahoma, did not report coronavirus cases to federal authorities and also failed to implement worker protections, such as social distancing measures.

By Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest

/ 8 Apr 2021

Union files OSHA complaint against one of the largest pork plants in the country

Infected, Exhausted, Distressed

A year on, meatpacking workers continue to confront COVID-19. Read their stories.

By Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest, Ignacio Calderon, USA TODAY Network Agriculture Data Fellow, Investigate Midwest and Sky Chadde, Investigate Midwest

/ 8 Apr 2021

GRAPHIC: Environmental regulation enforcement varies widely from state to state

The number of enforcement actions and the size of fines levied against companies for violating environmental protection laws is vastly different from state to state.

By Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest

/ 24 Mar 2021

Since 1955 the Vermilion Power Plant has been storing toxic coal ash in three ponds next to the Middle Fork Vermilion River n

Information on factory farms is spotty at best. The government has been hogtied from doing more.

CAFOs have been a point of contention between the livestock industry and environmental activists since they began to proliferate in the 1990s, overtaking small, pasture-feeding operations as the dominant form of animal agriculture in the US. As the number of livestock producers has declined, the num

By Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest

/ 25 Feb 2021

Information on factory farms is spotty at best. The government has been hogtied from doing more.

GRAPHIC: Leafy greens have caused more than 40 E. coli outbreaks in the past decade. The FDA is trying to change that.

After a 2018 E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce hospitalized more than 100 people and killed five, the US Food and Drug Administration put together an action plan to reduce E. coli contamination in leafy greens.

By Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest

/ 23 Feb 2021

Trump ag secretary Sonny Perdue personally lobbied to keep meatpacking plants open during pandemic, emails show

Some incarcerated meatpacking workers spent ‘100 percent’ of their time in high-risk settings during pandemic

GRAPHIC: The people who pick America’s fruits and vegetables are getting older

In what's likely a first, a meatpacking plant employee won a COVID-19 workers' comp case

GRAPHIC: East Asia leads world in purchases of U.S. meat

COVID-19 outbreak at Smithfield Foods meatpacking plant in Missouri likely larger than originally known, OSHA documents say

GRAPHIC: As industry pushed fears of meat shortage, exports increased

Union files OSHA complaint against one of the largest pork plants in the country

Infected, Exhausted, Distressed

GRAPHIC: Environmental regulation enforcement varies widely from state to state

Information on factory farms is spotty at best. The government has been hogtied from doing more.

GRAPHIC: Leafy greens have caused more than 40 E. coli outbreaks in the past decade. The FDA is trying to change that.

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