
Clothing dye raises diabetes risk in pregnant women
By Brian Bienkowski
Pregnant women exposed to a harmful clothing dye have a higher risk for gestational diabetes when they are carrying a male fetus, according to a new study.

“PFAS are everywhere” – Fears growing about PFAS in pesticides
By Meg Wilcox
Vicki Blazer has studied the health of the smallmouth bass in the Chesapeake Bay watershed for more than 20 years. As a research fishery biologist for the United States Geological Survey (USGS), she keeps a close eye on pollutants and other environmental factors that could be causing diseases and die-offs plaguing the popular sportfish.
Increasingly, her findings – and her fears – are focused on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and how pesticides containing types of PFAS chemicals appear to be accumulating in the fish.
WATCH: Is Bayer losing the Roundup fight?
The New Lede breaks down the latest developments in the courtroom and corporate boardroom and asks the question: is Bayer ready to throw in the towel on Roundup?

Nearly 20% of US packaged foods contain synthetic dyes, study finds
By Brian Bienkowski
Nearly 20% of packaged foods and drinks in the US have synthetic dyes, with most marketed to children and loaded with sugar, according to a new study that examined nearly 40,000 items from popular food brands.

Bayer settles Missouri Roundup case mid-trial; looks to US Supreme Court
By Carey Gillam
Bayer this week put a halt to its latest courtroom battle over allegations that its weed killing products cause cancer, settling a Missouri case after four weeks of testimony and just as the trial was coming to a close.


The role of farming in the exodus of rural America
By Dr. Ryan Schmid
In our race to “feed the world”, farmers and ranchers have been pressed into a system that manufactures food for a growing global population. Farmers have met these challenges head-on, producing an abundance of crops and meat; however, our production of abundance has not come without costs.
Juneteenth, the EPA and recognition of freedom, liberty and justice
By Stephanie Reese
Juneteenth and environmental protections share something fundamental — they represent hard-fought acknowledgment of systemic harms, and they both underscore the urgent need for a more just, sustainable, and equitable future.
Kraft Heinz to remove synthetic dyes from all products by 2027
By Brian Bienkowski
Kraft Heinz, the food giant behind dozens of popular brands including Oscar Mayer, Jell-O, Velveeta and Kool-Aid, will not launch any new foods with synthetic dyes and will remove the dyes from its current products by the end of 2027, the company said Tuesday.
Seeking answers to a cancer crisis in Iowa, researchers question if agriculture is to blame
By Carey Gillam
INDIANOLA, Iowa – Six months ago, Alex Hammer was diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 37. Dianne Chambers endured surgery, chemotherapy and dozens of rounds of radiation to fight aggressive breast cancer, and Janan Haugen spends most days helping care for her 17-year-old grandson, who is still being treated for brain cancer he developed at the age of 7.