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 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:

TNL managing editor Brian Bienkowski wins first place in agricultural writing awards

The New Lede’s managing editor Brian Bienkowski won first place in the news category for the North American Agricultural Journalists (NAAJ) 2026 writing contest.

Iowa cancer rates surge — farm chemicals are a key risk, new report finds

Iowans are suffering from higher rates of more than a dozen types of cancers linked to pesticides and pollutants than the rest of the country, with researchers saying the risk of pesticide exposure alone may rival that of smoking, according to a new report.

WATCH: Massive manure digester leaking climate-warming methane

A Wisconsin biogas facility billed as climate-friendly is emitting nearly 5,000 metric tons of methane a year — equal to 30,000 gas cars. Such digesters are meant to cut emissions, but critics say leaks, pollution and hidden costs raise serious concerns.

Manure-to-energy project touted as climate fix emits thousands of tons of methane

A Wisconsin project dubbed the “world’s largest manure biogas project” emits nearly 5,000 metric tons of climate-warming methane annually, roughly equivalent to emissions from 30,000 gasoline-powered vehicles, according to state data that adds to concerns about the impacts of large-scale manure digesters.

Report raises alarm over GMO wheat as it inches closer to US fields

A genetically modified wheat under development in the US would increase the use of an herbicide that is linked to soil, water and fetal harm, according to a new report.

House Farm Bill clears committee with controversial pesticide and livestock provisions intact

After days of debate and disagreements, the House Committee on Agriculture on Thursday passed its version of the 2026 Farm Bill, which includes controversial provisions critics say will hamper the ability of states to put in place strict rules for pesticides and animal welfare.

Senate GOP backs speedier chemical reviews; Dems cite health risks

Proposed changes to the nation’s premier chemical safety law are necessary for American competitiveness, Senate Republicans said in a hearing on Wednesday, as Democrats warned the changes will harm public health.

Senate Republicans draft bill aimed to speed up new chemical reviews

Senate Republicans released a draft discussion bill on Thursday aimed at loosening the nation’s premier chemical safety law with the goal of reducing chemical review delays.

Industry reports point to potential farm waste energy boom amid federal scrutiny

Farmers across the US are leaving potential energy lying on their fields, and have the ability to reap billions of dollars in revenue by turning animal manure, crop and food waste into natural gas, according to two industry reports released this month.

Wisconsin manure digester at the center of USDA loan trouble

Five years after the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) guaranteed more than $100 million to what’s billed as the “world’s largest manure biogas project”, the loans are in delinquency, which, along with operational failures and underperformance at such plants, has seemingly prompted an agency-wide pause on loan guarantees for such projects, according to The New Lede’s analysis of federal data.