Environmental Reporting at WNIJ
The Mississippi River Basin spans nearly half of the continental United States. Millions of residents rely on the river system for drinking water, commerce and recreation.
More than 90% of America’s agricultural exports are grown in the Mississippi River Basin, including more than three-quarters of the world’s exports in feed grains, and most of the country’s livestock. More than 70% of nitrate pollution in the Mississippi River comes from agriculture, which harms human health and aquatic life and contributes to the “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico. As the impacts of climate change become more severe, residents can expect more extreme weather, including flooding.
By making resources available on this beat, we support more complete coverage of these critical topics. As our reporters build deeper knowledge, they tap into a network of newsrooms, experts, and support that will help them tell more equitable, impactful and interconnected stories.
Harvest Public Media reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues through a collaborative network of reporters and partner stations throughout the Midwest and Plains. Our goal is to provide in-depth and unbiased reporting on complex issues for a broad, diverse audience, often connecting the Heartland to the rest of the country. Primary topics include, but are not limited to, agribusiness, biofuels, climate change, farming and ranching, food safety, rural life and public policy.
Below you will find reporting from reporters across our collaborations.
Locally, Jess Savage reports on clean air, water, and agricultural systems in northern Illinois for WNIJ, part of the Mississippi River Basin Project and Harvest Public Media. They recently graduated from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Jess was awarded the Pulitzer Center Campus Consortium Fellowship, where they reported on landscape-scale ecological restoration in England and its effects on local farmers. They studied ecology at the University of Vermont as an undergraduate.
Jess focuses on access and policy related to clean air, water and agricultural systems for northern Illinois residents. This includes storytelling that gives voice traditionally underserved communities and the impact of climate change on local communities. The beat is a solutions driven approach to reporting related to efforts to improve the quality of rivers and groundwater, policies and processes in agricultural practices and food systems, and overall access to healthy living.
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Nearly half of the U.S. winter wheat crop is in poor or very poor condition, following a tough growing season. Some farmers are choosing to leave their crop in the field -
Serviceberries, or juneberries, are a native fruit beloved by wildlife. But now they’re moving from backyards to farms, and some hope they’ll soon be on your plate. -
Congressional lawmakers are looking to add rotisserie chicken to the list of foods people can purchase with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Currently, the program excludes hot and pre-prepared foods. -
President Trump has tried to kill Food for Peace – the nation’s leading international food aid program. Farm state legislators restarted it at the USDA, and pending legislation would keep it there permanently. But experts worry about the fate of food aid at an agency with no humanitarian mandate. -
A bill allowing year-round sales of E15, a fuel blended with up to 15% corn-based ethanol, is being debated in the Senate. While the bill is hailed as a boon for corn growers, there are concerns that it could hurt soybean prices. -
Development of large-scale data centers is booming across the Midwest and South. As some communities push back, local and state governments are trying to catch up on how to regulate the new development. -
Extreme heat combined with high humidity is becoming more common as the climate warms, making it harder for people to cool their bodies. -
Beginning in November, SNAP retailers across the U.S. will be required to stock more healthy foods. But experts say the change will ultimately leave federal food aid users with fewer options — especially in rural areas. -
A case of New World screwworm infection was detected Wednesday in Texas. Federal, state and local partners have been working to curb an outbreak and prevent widespread infection in ranching operations. -
Some rivers are success stories where wildlife is bouncing back from heavy pollution. But environmental groups say progress hasn’t happened across the board and backsliding remains possible.
