Sky Chadde

1 month ago | sentientmedia.org | Sky Chadde |Investigate Midwest

This story was originally published on Investigate Midwest. Following judges’ orders, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has begun reinstating employees who were fired en masse in February. But now, many of those workers who are being paid not to perform any duties fear that another shoe will drop. The uncertainty over their futures comes as Elon Musk and the Trump administration chainsaw the federal workforce.

1 month ago | investigatemidwest.org | Sky Chadde |Investigate Midwest

Following judges’ orders, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has begun reinstating employees who were fired en masse in February. But now, many of those workers who are being paid not to perform any duties fear that another shoe will drop. The uncertainty over their futures comes as Elon Musk and the Trump administration chainsaw the federal workforce.

1 month ago | investigatemidwest.org | Sky Chadde |Investigate Midwest

Consumers saw a reprieve from fast-rising food prices in 2024, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture analysis. Last year, prices for all food increased by 2.3% — a stark contrast to the 5.8% jump in 2023, which far outpaced the historical average over the past two decades. However, not all grocery staples followed the trend.

2 months ago | investigatemidwest.org | Sky Chadde |Investigate Midwest

Mass terminations at the U.S. Department of Agriculture are “crippling” the agency, upending federal workers’ lives and leaving farmers and rural communities without needed support, according to interviews with 15 recently fired employees stationed across the U.S.Since taking power Jan. 20, the Trump administration has quickly frozen funding and fired federal workers en masse. USDA terminations started Feb. 13, the day Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was sworn in.

Jan 28, 2025 | investigatemidwest.org | Sky Chadde |Investigate Midwest

One of President Donald Trump’s first-term achievements was a major tax cut, which he signed into law in 2017. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act largely benefited the wealthiest families in the U.S.But farm households also saw their tax rates decrease. That means many farms will see their tax liability increase when the tax cuts expire at the end of the year, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture research.