Investigate Midwest staff

Five public comments on EPA’s renewable fuel proposal

The Environmental Protection Agency released its ethanol mandates in late May. Those mandates cut billions of gallons from what original 2014 through 2016 mandates promised and contributed to a surge of public comments from a wide variety of stakeholders. Read five of those comments here.

By Investigate Midwest staff

/ 22 Jul 2015

Five public comments on EPA’s renewable fuel proposal

A billionaire and a senator turn their attention to Monsanto, Syngenta

As news of a possible Monsanto-Syngenta merger keeps rolling out, multiple media outlets are reporting that two noteworthy figures have gotten involved with the process. Billionaire investor John Paulson of Paulson & Co. has took on a large number of shares in the Swiss chemical company Syngenta, ac

By Investigate Midwest staff

/ 19 Jul 2015

A billionaire and a senator turn their attention to Monsanto, Syngenta

U.S. House of Representatives moves on GMO labeling bill

A bill that would prohibit state-level legislation on GMO labeling took a step forward in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday. Known as the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015, the bill seeks to create overarching federal legislation that only makes labeling optional. The bill was o

By Investigate Midwest staff

/ 14 Jul 2015

U.S. House of Representatives moves on GMO labeling bill

Monsanto continues efforts to buy Syngenta despite rejections

Monsanto is still gunning to acquire Syngenta even though the Swiss chemical company rejected the most recent $45 billion takeover offer. St. Louis-based Monsanto has been considering proposals to buy Syngenta since 2011. Officials from Syngenta feel the proposals undervalue their company’s worth.

By Investigate Midwest staff

/ 13 Jul 2015

Monsanto continues efforts to buy Syngenta despite rejections

Sneak peek: GMOs, Monsanto and the fight against climate change

Highlights from the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting's package on GMOs and climate change. In the last 20 years, U.S. farmers have widely turned to genetically engineered seeds to help counter more prevalent pests and other climate change consequences. U.S. Department of Agriculture data o

By Investigate Midwest staff

/ 8 Jul 2015

Sneak peek: GMOs, Monsanto and the fight against climate change

Cargill selling pork business to Brazilian meat producer

The largest privately held company in the United States will soon become a little smaller, as Minneapolis-based Cargill plans to sell its pork business to Brazilian meat producer JBS’ USA Pork division. The Wall Street Journal reported that the deal is worth $1.45 billion and includes two meat proce

By Investigate Midwest staff

/ 6 Jul 2015

Cargill selling pork business to Brazilian meat producer

High-tech on the Hi-Line: How I did it

The nexus for this story came when I was searching through Department of Labor foreign labor certifications. I came across 41 certifications for H-1B workers to go to work in Harlem, Mont. Harlem is a tiny town up on the Hi-Line, an area of Montana along the Canadian border that is basically the m

By Investigate Midwest staff

/ 6 Jul 2015

Allergen-free peanuts, auto-dry grapes among 2014 agriculture innovations

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its “technology transfer” report last week. The report highlights how agriculture research has contributed to public good through new inventions, safety measures and other innovations. Those new inventions include a grape that turns into a raisin on the vi

By Investigate Midwest staff

/ 2 Jul 2015

Allergen-free peanuts, auto-dry grapes among 2014 agriculture innovations

Story: Employers need more visas but abuse claims multiply

Editor’s note: The Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting hosted a reporting workshop on the U.S. visa system in April 2015. It was one of five specialized reporting institutes

By Investigate Midwest staff

/ 26 Jun 2015

Story: Proposed project relying on foreign workers prompts questions

In this tiny town on Montana's Hi-Line, a project is planned that would potentially bring 20 or more foreign high-tech workers to town, pay out more than $1 million in annual salaries, and create Internet resources for residents of the nearby Fort Belknap Indian Community. But questions remain about

By Investigate Midwest staff

/ 26 Jun 2015

Corn refiners ready to take on the sugar industry

The Corn Refiners Association is gearing up to take on the sugar industry. According to a June 24 Washington Post exclusive, the Corn Refiners Association plans on investing in a lobbying effort to take apart decades-old sugar subsidies and tax breaks. The Washington Post reported that the associati

By Investigate Midwest staff

/ 26 Jun 2015

Corn refiners ready to take on the sugar industry

Biobased products creating millions of U.S. jobs

Federal agencies are required to buy products made from materials that were once living. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 mandated that if the products are reasonably priced and available, federal agencies have to buy them. A U.S. Department of Agriculture report released on June 1

By Investigate Midwest staff

/ 18 Jun 2015

Five public comments on EPA’s renewable fuel proposal

A billionaire and a senator turn their attention to Monsanto, Syngenta

U.S. House of Representatives moves on GMO labeling bill

Monsanto continues efforts to buy Syngenta despite rejections

Sneak peek: GMOs, Monsanto and the fight against climate change

Cargill selling pork business to Brazilian meat producer

High-tech on the Hi-Line: How I did it

Allergen-free peanuts, auto-dry grapes among 2014 agriculture innovations

Story: Employers need more visas but abuse claims multiply

Story: Proposed project relying on foreign workers prompts questions

Corn refiners ready to take on the sugar industry

Biobased products creating millions of U.S. jobs

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