Iowa Cancer Surge Drives Election Debate Over Agriculture and Water Policy

Iowa’s cancer incidence—second-highest among U.S. states and one of only three where rates are climbing—has become a central campaign theme ahead of the November 3 election. Candidates from both parties argue that the state’s farm economy is linked to the health crisis and promise policy changes to curb disease and improve water quality.

The Guardian

Cancer rates in Iowa tracked national trends until 2012, after which they began to rise for reasons that remain unclear. The state produces a third of its economic output and a fifth of its jobs through corn, soy, pork and dairy farming. Iowa farmers apply more fertilizer than any other state and host the nation’s highest number of concentrated animal-feeding operations (CAFOs). Heavy fertilizer and pesticide use generates nitrate-laden runoff that contaminates rivers and groundwater, contributing to elevated rates of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and acute myeloid leukemia—cancers some studies associate with glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup.

The Guardian

Efforts to address environmental health include a 2022 law requiring radon-mitigation systems in new homes and a $320 million legislative investment in water-quality projects, though critics say the funding does not target pollution at its source.

The Guardian

• Iowa’s overall cancer rate in 2022 was about 506 cases per 100,000 people, versus the national average of 442 per 100,000 (NIH).

The Guardian

• The state records higher-than-average incidences of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and acute myeloid leukemia.

The Guardian

• Iowa’s waterways rank among the most nitrate-polluted in the United States; the Des Moines water utility recently imposed a lawn-watering ban due to near-record nitrate levels.

The Guardian

Sarah Green, executive director of the Iowa Environmental Council, says state leadership and industrial agriculture have been reluctant to discuss the health crisis, prompting voter demand for action. Republican gubernatorial nominee Zach Lahn frames the issue as “big ag and big pharma” profiting while Iowans suffer, pledging incentives for farmers to adopt cleaner practices.

The Guardian

The Iowa Supreme Court’s recent ruling makes it harder for plaintiffs to sue over alleged Roundup-related cancers, a decision both Lahn and Democratic candidate Sand publicly opposed. The incumbent agriculture secretary, Mike Naig—a former Monsanto lobbyist—has not responded to interview requests.

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Long-time farmer Seth Watkins observes that “the road I live on, I think there’s only one family that has not dealt with some kind of cancer,” highlighting the personal toll on farming families. A grassroots group called the “Lobe Rangers,” led by farmer Zack Smith, argues that voluntary nutrient-reduction strategies can protect waterways while maintaining profitability.

The Guardian

• “I think state leadership and industrial agriculture are very hesitant to have those conversations, but I think the Iowa public is calling and demanding action and conversation and answers in a way that both parties are needing to respond, and [that’s] why it has become the campaign issue of this upcoming election,” — Sarah Green

The Guardian

• “The road I live on, I think there’s only one family that has not dealt with some kind of cancer,” — Seth Watkins

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• “We all know something is terribly wrong, but too many politicians from Washington DC to Des Moines have had their heads stuck in the sand while big ag and big pharma printed money. This will not go on when I’m governor,” — Zach Lahn

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Voters will decide the fate of these proposals on November 3, when the midterm elections determine Iowa’s representation in Congress and the governor’s office. The outcome will shape how aggressively the state pursues agricultural reforms and water-quality initiatives aimed at reducing cancer risk.

The Guardian