The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "Department of Agriculture" ...
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Fields of Fraud
The most sweeping proposed reform of U.S. agricultural assistance since the Great Depression would replace most direct payments to farmers with federally-backed crop insurance—a change that is designed to save money. But this CNBC investigation finds the change could open the door to massive fraud. http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000097737&play=1
Tags: agriculture; fraud; tomato; U.S. Department of Agriculture; farming
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Puppy Pipeline
The Post tracked a puppy mill pipeline stretching from the Ozarks to South Florida, one that brought thousands of sometimes-sick puppies from mass-operations to local pet stores. At least 2,500 puppies were delivered to Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties from out-of-states breeders in an 11-month period. Roughly one in three of those came from breeders or distributors cited for problems by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees wholesale dog breeding. Citations varied from keeping animals in too-small and rusting cages with exposed nails or wires, to caked feces, to infestations of roaches and other insects that covered the walls and ceilings of kennels. In dozens of cases, kennel owners averted USDA inspection entirely.
Tags: puppy mill; puppies; USDA; dog breeder; breeding; Department of Agriculture; animal mistreatment
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"Tax Dollars to Dead Farmers"
Some farmers who have died during the last 20 years are still being paid. By comparing the "Farm Bill database" and the "Social Security Death Index," WFOR-TV found 234 deceased farmers in South Florida continue to receive taxpayer money through the U.S. Farm Bill. The amount still being paid is estimated to be $9.5 million.
Tags: Farm Aid; U.S. Farm Bill; U.S. Department of Agriculture; Environmental Working Group; General Accountability Office; Richard Wiles
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Dangerous Dams
There are several "high hazard" dams in Maryland which the state Department of the Environment considers unsafe and a threat to public safety. Some of these dams are in imminent danger of failing. A "high hazard" dam indicates that a collapse would cause loss of life and damage to residential, industrial or agricultural areas, public utilities and infrastructure. The story detailed lax enforcement of rules and regulations when a dam owner is told by state inspectors to fix problems.
Tags: Dams; safety; breach; unsafe; high hazard
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Trouble on the Farm: From Research to Waste
This investigation of animal neglect at the University of Nevada, Reno revealed that: administrators set up a camera in a smoke detector outside a faculty whistleblower's lab; students alleged late-night intruders tampered with e-coli experiments to discredit the professor; a network of unregulated "homeland security" cameras kept the campus under surveillance; "valueless" sheep injected with human stem cells were sent to a university ranch as part of a weed eradication project and were swiftly killed by predators. And, although the University denied all the animal abuse allegations, the USDA cited it for 46 violations in May and another 10 in October, which included many of the same neglects documented in the story.
Tags: University of Nevada - Reno; animal abuse; animal neglect; United States Department of Agriculture; USDA; surveillance; human stem cells; e-coli
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Recipe for Trouble
The authors investigated the role of food establishment inspectors and Pennsylvania's broken restaurant inspection system.
Tags: public safety; food establishments; food poisoning; food establishment inspectors; CDC health reports; Department of Agriculture; FOIA; food-born illnesses
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Are more mega-farms headed to this area? Economic benefits touted; neighbors cite environmental concerns
This three piece series examines the "mega-farm" phenomenon and the impact it could have on Hancock County, Ohio. Moser interviewed people who work on and live by mega-farms to predict the pros and cons of mega-farming in Hancock county.
Tags: farming; agriculture; commercial farms; environment; Ohio Department of Agriculture; dairy farms
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Marine Attractions: Below the Surface
This investigation examined more than 3,850 deaths of marine animals since 1972. The authors found that animals are often mistreated during captivity, and that thousands have died under human care from clorine posioning, heat exposure, capture shock and stress. This in-depth look at the $1 billion - a - year marine mammal industry reveals that not only is it riddled with problems, but also that the government is doing very little to correct them.
Tags: zoo; National Marine Fisheries Service; computer-assisted reporting; Department of Agriculture; dolphins; whales; Sea World; aquariums
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Mad Cow Disease in the United States
Mitchell's investigation revealed several flaws in a few of the U.S. agencies meant to prevent and contain illnesses such as mad cow and Creutzfeld Jakob diseases. This series looks at the problems and inconsistencies within these programs and was also cited in the Inspector General's audit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's mad cow surveillance program. The investigation also looks into possible cases of mad cow disease in the United States which have gone undetected or may have been kept under wraps.
Tags: Mad Cow Disease; Creutzfeldt Jakob disease; U.S. Department of Agriculture; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Hidden Horrors: California Dairy Workers Face Danger and Abuse
Workers in California's dairy industry generally live and work in the same place, and therefore do not speak out about poor working conditions for fear of losing their homes and/or their jobs. Rose Arrieta finds that in 2001, Cal OSHA investigated the state's dairies following the deaths of two workers. Fines were handed down, but there have been no inspections since then. Arrieta discovers that these workers are "modern-day slaves." Workers who aren't working at a "satisfactory" pace are beaten, those with injuries are told to work or they won't get paid, and some are threatened by their employers if the worker complains to legal authorities about inadequate pay.
Tags: dairy industry; California OSHA; Marin County; Sonoma County; human rights abuse; civil righs abuse; Department of Food and Agriculture