Ben Felder covers agribusiness and the meat industry in Oklahoma for Investigate Midwest. Felder previously worked for The Oklahoman as a political enterprise reporter blending narrative storytelling, data analysis and investigative reporting to cover the state’s political leaders, the influences behind them, and their impact on everyday Oklahomans. Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, and a graduate of Trevecca University in Nashville, Felder lives in Oklahoma City with his wife, Lori, and son, Satchel.
DispatchRural America
Oklahoma Tribes Are Fighting Corporate Consolidation of the Cattle Industry—and Building Food Sovereignty
“Food is power, and having control over your food sources is the difference between independence or subjugation.”
Ben Felder
Rural America
How Deregulation Is Helping Turn Eastern Oklahoma into a Factory Farm Sacrifice Zone
Fetid air, polluted water, heavy truck traffic: Since the state loosened regulations a decade ago, a rush of industrial chicken farms is transforming life for rural residents.
Ben Felder