John McCracken covers the industrial agriculture meat industry for Investigate Midwest. He has experience reporting at the intersection of agriculture, environmental pollution and climate change. He is a former Midwest reporting fellow for Grist, a national nonprofit newsroom focused on climate change, environmental justice, and solutions. His past reporting won a 2022 SEAL Environmental Journalism Award and a Wisconsin Newspaper Association investigative reporting award. His work has been published or republished in Detroit Public Television, Michigan Public Radio, Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, Wisconsin State Journal, The Capital Times, MSN, WIRED, Modern Farmer, Fast Company and more. He lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
https://grist.org/author/jmccracken/
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Investigation
Documents reveal dairy and farm industry groups pushed for changes that would allow large industrial farms to access loans meant for small farm operations.
Factory Farms•7 min read
News
The nation’s largest retailer is poised to become a significant player in the beef industry, owning cattle from slaughter to sale.
Food•9 min read
News
The federal agency that oversees disputes of workplace safety violations, including in meatpacking plants, has been without leadership for more than five months.
Food•3 min read
News
Chick-fil-A buys its chicken from Mar-Jac Poultry, a company fined by the Department of Labor for employing 14-year-olds to eviscerate poultry at an Alabama packing plant.
Policy•3 min read
Investigation
States with major crop, solar, wind and livestock industries have seen dramatic increases in the past decade.
Food•2 min read
Investigation
The federal government has a single contractor to assist with killing infected flocks, leading to delays and the use of controversial culling methods.
Food•17 min read
Investigation
Businesses, including meatpacking plants, are not obligated to fix safety problems pointed out by OSHA while the commission is reviewing appeals.
Food•10 min read
Investigation
States with confirmed dairy cattle bird flu cases have drastically different personal protective equipment responses.
Health•11 min read
Reported
Ohio Department of Natural Resources has confirmed 3,500 dead fish in waterways as well as deceased hellbender salamanders, an endangered species in the state.
Climate•4 min read
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Sentient investigates and explains factory farms and their effect on climate, the environment, animals, health, politics and rural communities.
