Resource Center

Stories

The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast.

These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need.

Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:



Search results for "cattle" ...

  • The Battle for the Border

    A Texas Monthly investigation finds that "illegal immigration is exploding in Maverick County, which will soon become the busiest crossing point from Mexico into the U.S." The story describes how "ranches are being overrun by drug smugglers, houses robbed, cattle stolen," and "men have been shot and killed." The reporter focuses on the ranchers' dilemma - to flee "this modern-day war zone" or to "stay and fight." The story profiles Dob Cunningham, a rancher who has come across "an odd and sometimes tragic assortment of immigrants," and has also witnessed the shooting of a Mexican teenager.

    Tags: Hispanic; U.S. Border Patrol; Rio Grande; Spanish; agents; police; drugs; crime

    By Pamela Colloff

    Texas Monthly

    2001

  • Bull Market: The Case of the Phantom Herd

    Reporters discovered that Oregon rancher Walter J. Hoyt, who sold land to thousands of people across the United States, had a monopoly based on "inflated land values and a herd of "phantom cattle" that existed only on paper." "The Internal Revenue Service, while it couldn't or wouldn't shut down Hoyt, nailed unsuspecting investors for back taxes, interest and penalties." This series unveiled the circumstances regarding Hoyt's business and attempted to seek justice for victims involved.

    Tags: land investors; tax schemes; Internal Revenue Service

    By James Sinks

    The Bulletin (Bend, OR)

    2000

  • High noon in cattle country

    Sierra Magazine investigates the extent of damage livestock causes to the environment. The investigation reveals that 3.5 percent of the nation's beef is produced by cattle that graze on public land in the arid West.

    Tags: cattle; livestock; arid; West; environment; beef

    By T. H. Watkins

    Sierra Magazine

    2000

  • High And Dry

    Farmers in Colorado have to fight for water with developers even when the weather is good. But this summers' draught has compounded the problem. The farmers along St. Vrain river can see the precious commodity flowing past their dry fields to some developer who has paid more money for the water rights. Many had to sell their farms and cattle as it was becoming tough to survive.

    Tags: farm; drought; water rights; priority number; St. Vrain

    By Steve Jackson

    Westword (Denver)

    2000

  • Cash Cows

    The Mercury News examines over 26,000 federal billing records of agriculture corporations and uncovers a trend of livestock grazing on federally owned land at the taxpayer expsense. Nov. 1999.

    Tags: cattle grazing; ranchers; livestock

    By Paul Rogers and Jennifer LaFleur

    San Jose Mercury News West

    1999

  • The trouble with meat

    Unfortunately, the grim reality of E. coli infection is not an isolated stain on the reputation of an otherwise hygenic American meat supply. E. coli, along with other meat-borne pathogens like Salmonella Ententidis and campylobacter, both found in poultry, can be traced to our highly productive "factory farms." Genetically "optimized" pigs, cattle, sheep, turkeys and chickens are raised in tightly packed confinement systems -- an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.

    Tags: None

    By Jim Motavalli

    E Magazine

    1998

  • Hunting Justice

    A cattle rancher named Michael Erickson killed two hunters trespassing on the family property. The local district attorney charged Erickson with two counts of first degree murder and seeks the death penalty. The report shows that hunters secretly handed the local prosecutor money to help him build a case. After two mistrials, the D.A. is going to try the case a third time. For the first time ever, Erickson talks to a reporter about the killings and claims self defense.

    Tags: TAPE

    By Chris Halsne;Darrin Johnson

    KWTV-TV (Oklahoma City)

    1997

  • No title (id: 13419)

    E Magazine investigates fears of a Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) or Mad Cow Disease epidemic in the United States. Five years ago, in an attempt to stop the spread of BSE and its human counterpart, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, the British government banned the feeding of cow and other animal parts to British cattle herds. In the United States, however, in order to produce stronger, larger cattle, the Food and Drug Administration has allowed the continuation of "cow cannibalism", leading some scientists fear for the health of U.S. cattle herds and U.S. meat consumers. (July/August 1996)

    Tags: Mulvaney Mad Cows and the Colonies Health Livestock FDA 6 pgs.

    By None

    E Magazine

    1996

  • No title (id: 13370)

    Last March, British Health Secretary Stephen Dorrell appeared on British television to report the appearance of a new type of rare and fatal brain disorder called Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). The disease is believed to be caused by eating beef from cattle infected with "mad cow disease". Health magazine looks at how CJD destroys the human brain and how diseased beef entered the human food chain. (July/August 1996)

    Tags: Mason Mad Cow Mystery Narrative BSE Nervous system 6 pgs.

    By None

    Health Magazine

    1996

  • The Rancher Subsidy

    The Atlantic Monthly takes a close look at rancher subsidies, the Clinton Administration's efforts to raise the fees the government charges for grazing on federal lands and the environmental impacts of cattle grazing. (January 1996)

    Tags: Oppenheimer The Rancher Subsidy Bureau of Land Management Forest Service

    By Oppenheimer

    Atlantic Monthly

    1996