Brian Bienkowski

About Brian Bienkowski

Brian Bienkowski is the managing editor of The New Lede. He is a veteran journalist with more than 15 years of experience covering the environment and human health. Prior to joining TNL, he was the senior editor of Environmental Health News for nearly a decade where he oversaw the newsroom and two regional bureaus. He was also the founder, producer and host of the Agents of Change in EJ podcast from 2020 to 2024. Bienkowski has received multiple awards for his editing and reporting, including honors from the North American Agricultural Journalists, the Association of Health Care Journalists, Columbia Journalism School, Hunter College and the Society of Environmental Journalists. He has a masters in environmental journalism from Michigan State University and lives in northern Michigan.

Posts by Brian Bienkowski:

Living on Earth: Cancer and CAFOs

Managing editor Brian Bienkowski joined the Living on Earth radio show to discuss new research linking concentrated animal feeding operations, CAFOs, to increased cancer risk in nearby communities.

WATCH: Inside the campaign to overturn state animal welfare laws

A new report from The New Lede found that a “nonpartisan” nonprofit pushing against California’s Proposition 12 is being led by a top pork industry lobbyist.

Pork lobbyist helping lead “nonpartisan” group working against state animal welfare laws

The Carver Center for Agriculture & Nutrition’s op-eds and analyses papers fail to mention that its chairman, Andy Curliss, is also the vice president of strategic engagement for the National Pork Producers Council, which has been leading the meat industry’s push against state animal welfare laws.

EPA walks back PFAS drinking water protections

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday proposed dropping limits for four cancer-linked “forever chemicals” in drinking water established during the Biden administration, saying the changes were rushed and not in compliance with federal law.

Loan transfer removes bulk of USDA digester delinquencies amid pause

The US government is no longer guaranteeing funding for the nation’s largest manure digester project that was years behind on paying its loans, but the troubled government loan program that had backed that project and many others remains on hold.

Colorado CAFOs linked to ammonia air pollution hotspots

Levels of airborne ammonia, which can harm people’s ability to breathe, are increasing three times faster each year in Colorado’s Front Range where there are clusters of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) compared to nearby urban areas without the massive livestock farms, according to a new study.

Health advocates demand federal action in nitrate “health emergency”

More than 80 health and environmental groups are calling on federal agencies to use emergency powers to protect Americans from a “public health emergency” driven by industrial farming practices that are dangerously polluting drinking water.

Controversial Farm Bill measure targeting state animal laws heads to Senate showdown

Animal welfare advocates are preparing for a fight in the US Senate where the new Farm Bill will be taken up in the next couple months, bringing with it a contentious provision that would undo state measures to protect livestock.

Iowa’s hog dominance shown in federal data amid environmental concerns

Iowa continues to dominate the US hog farming market — slaughtering more than 39 million hogs last year, roughly 30% of the nationwide market, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) annual livestock slaughter report released this week.

Farm runoff linked to elevated nitrate levels in drinking water serving more than 60 million Americans

More than 60 million Americans get their water from sources contaminated with elevated levels of nitrate pollution, which is most likely coming from agricultural manure or fertilizer runoff, according to a new analysis.