A growing number of Iowans are grappling with cancer diagnoses as researchers explore whether decades of intensive agriculture is driving the state’s mounting health crisis.
Carey Gillam reports for The New Lede.
In short:
- Iowa now has the second-highest cancer rate in the U.S., and it’s one of only two states where cancer cases are increasing, prompting a new statewide investigation.
- The Iowa Environmental Council and the Harkin Institute are leading a study to examine environmental contributors, with particular focus on pesticides, nitrates from fertilizer and manure, PFAS contamination, and radon.
- Farmers and residents worry about the health impacts of industrial agriculture but face social and economic pressures that make speaking out difficult.
Key quote:
“We really want to find out why these cancers are increasing. We’re honing in on the agriculture side of things.”
— Elise Pohl, lead researcher and former Iowa Department of Health community health consultant
Why this matters:
Iowa’s sweeping reliance on pesticides and synthetic fertilizers mirrors farming practices across much of rural America. Many of these chemicals — including glyphosate and nitrate compounds — have been linked in scientific studies to various cancers, especially when present in drinking water or soil. Meanwhile, the widespread use of PFAS-laced sewage sludge as fertilizer compounds the threat, potentially introducing toxic residues into the food supply. Radon exposure, another concern in Iowa, is a well-documented carcinogen. The Iowa case poses serious questions about whether “America’s breadbasket” has become its toxic pantry.
For more: Cancer rates in rural Iowa spark concern over farm pollutants
