farms

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. (File photo from March 2021 by Danielle Pycior for Investigate Midwest)

Scaling up: 4 ways hog farms changed since the 1990s

BY: - November 28, 2022

Editor’s note: The following story is a compilation of the five-part series “Scaling Up” by Madison McVan published by Investigate Midwest in September and October. The story examines changes in the pork industry over the last few decades. More contracts. More specialization. More pork production, resulting in decreasing costs. A report issued in August by […]

USDA plans ‘historic’ funding to help struggling farmers and develop new ag leaders

BY: - August 24, 2022

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will distribute up to $550 million to expand certain farmers’ access to land, money and markets and to create educational opportunities for the students of higher-education institutions that cater to racial and ethnic minorities. “The idea here obviously is to enlarge the number of people that are engaged in this […]