investigatemidwest org
18 years and counting: EPA still has no method for measuring CAFO air pollution
18 years after starting to develop methods to measure and control air pollution from livestock operations, the Environmental Protection Agency still has not complied with its own mandate to protect Americans from the harmful health effects of air pollution from big farms.
Despite national goals, agricultural greenhouse gas emissions continue unchecked
Agriculture is a major source of planet-warming greenhouse gases, and farming-intensive states like Iowa — with 13 million acres of corn and seven hogs per person — are outsized contributors, federal data show. Iowa ranks No. 2, behind Texas, for greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture.
Scaling up: 4 ways hog farms changed since the 1990s
The pork industry shifted dramatically over the past three decades. A USDA report tracks how the industry moved away from small operations to CAFOs, production contracts and specialization.
Opinion: Feds need to keep watchful eye on climate-smart grants
Dave Dickey: Big Ag wants to be mum on energy consumption...could it be hiding something?
Warming winters are increasing fertilizer runoff and polluting waterways, a new study finds
Low Mississippi River has barges running aground, farmers’ crops piling up
Harvest season is underway for crops such as soybeans and corn, but farmers’ yields are piling up. Near-historic low water levels on the Mississippi River are slowing down barges and driving up shipping costs.