Investigate Midwest

H-2B visa holders keep the nation’s seafood industry afloat

What began in 1952 as a stopgap for seasonal labor has become a test case for U.S. immigration policy under President Trump. ...
Investigate Midwest

Small farmers are more squeezed than ever. A California grant program offers a lifeline.

This story was originally published by Grist. When Javier Zamora started his organic berry farm more than a decade ago, he ...
Investigate Midwest

Ag department cuts 30-year survey of food insecurity

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is canceling a survey that hunger groups use to understand — and respond to — food ...
Investigate Midwest

Court dismisses lawsuit alleging EPA failed to protect farmers from PFAS in fertilizer

This story was originally published by The New Lede. A federal district court this week dismissed a lawsuit alleging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) failed to prevent the contamination ...
Investigate Midwest

Threat of ICE raids shadows every shift in Chicago’s food warehouses

This story is supported by funding from the Chicago Region Food Systems Fund. Each day before sunrise, David Huerta checks ...