An Office of Public Health official said the Food Safety Inspection Service agency was not able to link a specific Foster Farms product or production method directly to the Salmonella strain linked to a multistate outbreak. The U.S. Department of Agriculture food safety sector, lacked the appropriat
The livestock and poultry industries are poised for expansion, but a new fatal virus and low inventory could prove challenging. Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) is taking its toll on the U.S. hog market. PEDv was first found in the U.S. in May 2013. Now nine months later, it is in 25 states an
The USDA’s 2014 Agriculture Outlook Forum concluded Friday with sessions on commodities, forestry, rural development and the weather. The two-day forum covered topics related to new producer assistance, food safety, and foreign and domestic markets. It also previewed the results of the 2012 Ag Censu
The USDA-sponsored Ag Outlook Forum takes place in Arlington, Va. this week with multiple panels and discussions on produce, farmers, markets and other U.S. agribusiness. The Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting is following the event live. Yet as federal officials are urging more diversity –
New agriculture census data shows the number of farms and acres in farming has gone down since 2007. The 2012 Ag Census data show counted 2.1 million farmers, a 4.3 percent decrease from the 2007 Ag Census. There was about a 1 percent loss of acreage in farm use over 2007, which is down to 915 milli
Thousands are expected to gather in Arlington, Va. this week for the 2014 Agriculture Outlook Forum hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting will cover the event with daily updates live from Virginia. Here are highlights from the first day as reported
The U.S. Department of Agriculture released preliminary data today on the 2012 Agriculture Census - taken every five years - during its Ag Outlook Forum in Arlington, Va. Investigate Midwest reporter Sam Robinson is reporting live this week. Here's a quick look at the latest data.
IowaWatch has won a two-year $25,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Local Media Initiative that will help IowaWatch build audience engagement in the
We talk about our mission and how we go about selecting and presenting our journalism in this podcast of the Tuesday, Feb. 18, “Your Town” show on KXIC radio, in
Nearly 2,000 people are expected to gather this week in Arlington, Va., during a two-day forum to discuss the future of agriculture in the United States. The 2014 Agriculture Outlook Forum hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture will take on topics related to new producers assistance, food safe
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service recently announced that a California plant had to recall nearly 9 million pounds of beef processed from “diseased and unsound animals.” The beef was produced by Rancho Feeding Corporation – based in Petaluma, Calif. In addition
Timothy Pigford sued the United states Department of Agriculture in 1997 because he believed black producers were being denied loans. Pigford's case resulted in the largest civil rights settlement in the history of the United States. Yet, many black producers who joined the settlement have only rece
