A support group and a lab in the St. Louis area provide resources for people with the allergy to mammal products — and evidence that its effects can be reversed.
At least four workers have been fired from the Columbia Environmental Research Center, a division of the U.S. Geological Survey. Harshawn Ratanpal, KBIA
The past few weeks have brought confusion and upheaval to many federal agencies as the Trump administration advances efforts to drastically reduce the size of the federal government. Our reporters have been following what those cuts mean for the Mississippi River Basin and the people and places within it.
The Desk's newsrooms are following leads and drilling into the local impacts for millions of residents. Here are just a few examples of how our journalists are tracking the news.
Big changes in the U.S. Department of Agriculture:
DTN/The Progressive Farmer covered the cancellation of $1 billion for the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program and the Local Foods for Schools Program, which will leave food banks and schools with less access to local foods. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported on how the loss of the program will affect Wisconsin food pantries, and KBIA covered how farmers in Missouri feel about it. The Tennessee Lookout documented the effect on school lunch programs in that state.
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported on cuts at a USGS science center in La Crosse to employees who worked on a range of topics, including reducing invasive species in the Mississippi River, a major threat to the river’s ecosystem.
Last week, DTN/The Progressive Farmer wrote about how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to rewrite regulations governing wetlands, again. We’ll be digging into what it means more in our big wetlands series coming out in April.
We're tracking cuts to environmental justice offices and Inflation Reduction Act funding, which includes billions for climate programs.
Many federal agencies work in concert across the Basin with state and local partners. It’s not a question of whether these massive cuts and rollbacks will impact life in the Basin, because they will have wide-ranging impacts. These cuts will affect decades-long efforts such as reducing nutrient runoff and righting historical environmental injustices. Amid this uncertainty, the Desk has boots on the ground and we’ll be here with you every step of the way, helping you make sense of this historic moment.
Thanks for reading. More next week from across the Basin.
Sincerely,
Tegan Wendland Editorial Director, Ag & Water Desk
