Food & Environment Reporting Network

Name

Food & Environment Reporting Network

Legal name

Food & Environment Reporting Network, Inc.

Website

https://thefern.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Investigative Journalism

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Investigative & Nonprofit News Organizations (MPAJADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)

Keywords

• Investigative journalism
• Food system reporting
• Environmental journalism
• Agricultural news
• Nonprofit media

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donor Contributions: FERN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies primarily on tax-deductible donations from individuals. Monthly recurring donors and one-time contributions support investigative reporting operations.
2. Annual Publication Sales: The Dirt is an annual print collection of FERN stories available to donors at $50+ one-time or $5/month. Editions include The Dirt 2024, 2025, and bundled collections.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

FERN produces and distributes independent investigative journalism focused on food, agriculture, and environmental health through digital articles, podcasts, multi-part special series, email newsletters, and an annual print publication (The Dirt). The organization relies on donor contributions and republishes reporting through major media partners such as The Guardian, Rolling Stone, Mother Jones, The New Yorker, and Bloomberg Businessweek to extend audience reach.

Product overview

Food & Environment Reporting Network (FERN) is a nonprofit investigative news organization that operates as a single unified offering—producing independent journalism across multiple channels including articles, podcasts, special reporting series, an annual print publication, newsletters, and live events. The core product is investigative reporting on food, agriculture, and environmental health, distributed through FERN News Articles, multiple podcast series (BUZZKILL, California Foodways, Forked, REAP/SOW, Hot Farm), and in-depth Special Series. Additional offerings include The Dirt annual print magazine for donors, the Ag Insider subscription service for agricultural policy news, the FERN Newsletter, the FERN 500 monthly donor program, the Biodiversity Crisis Initiative project, and FERN Talks & Eats live events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Buzzkill: A six-part podcast series on pollinators, biodiversity, and food systems, hosted by Teresa Cotsirilos.
• California Foodways
• Forked
• REAP/SOW
• The Dirt
• Ag Insider

Products and services

• FERN News Articles
• FERN Podcasts
• The Dirt
• FERN Newsletter
• Ag Insider
• Special Series
• FERN Talks & Eats
• Biodiversity Crisis Initiative

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• The GuardiancoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFERN content published in partnership with The Guardian, a major international news organization.
• Rolling StonecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFERN investigative stories published with Rolling Stone, including reporting on Amazon pollution and data centers.
• Mother JonescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOngoing partnership with Mother Jones for investigative reporting, including the Farm Bill Fight special series.
• The New YorkercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFERN stories published in partnership with The New Yorker, including coverage of immigration and agriculture.
• Bloomberg BusinessweekcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFERN investigative reporting published with Bloomberg Businessweek, including salmon farming and food tech coverage.
• EsquiremajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFERN content published with Esquire magazine.
• Texas MonthlymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFERN stories published with Texas Monthly, including coverage of immigration-related disasters.
• The NationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with The Nation for investigative reporting on food policy and agriculture.
• GristmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerEnvironmental publication partnership with Grist for climate and food system coverage.
• INN (Institute for Nonprofit News)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFERN is a member of the Institute for Nonprofit News network, connecting nonprofit news organizations.

Scale indicators2 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/+ThefernOrg
• Facebookfacebook.com/FERNnews
• Instagraminstagram.com/fernnews
• Xx.com/fernnews
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-food-environment-reporting-network

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Food & Environment Reporting Network