"Cancer Is Just Everywhere" - Iowa 1 Of 2 US States Where Cancer Is Increasing; Is Industrial Ag Part Of The Reason?
Six months ago, Alex Hammer was diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 37. Dianne Chambers endured surgery, chemotherapy and dozens of rounds of radiation to fight aggressive breast cancer, and Janan Haugen spends most days helping care for her 16-year-old grandson, who is still being treated for brain cancer he developed at the age of seven.
The three were among a group of about two dozen people who came together last week in a small town in central Iowa to share their experiences of cancer. They are part of a new research project investigating potential environmental causes for what the American Cancer Society’s advocacy arm calls a cancer “crisis”. For the last few years, Iowa has had the second-highest rate of cancer in the nation, and is only one of two US states where cancer is increasing. “People in rural communities are getting sick. Cancer is just everywhere,” said Kerri Johannsen, senior director of policy at the Iowa Environmental Council, a non-profit focused on improving the environment that is helping to lead the project. “Every person I talk to knows somebody that has [recently] had a cancer diagnosis,” she said. “It’s just a constant drumbeat. It’s scary.”
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As a key US farm state, Iowa has long been known for the leafy green stalks of corn that stretch seemingly endlessly across the horizon. With nearly 87,000 farms, the state ranks first not only for corn production but also for pork and egg production, and is within the top five states for growing soybeans and raising cattle. Of Iowa’s 35.7m acres of total land, roughly 31m is devoted to farming. Many of the pesticides routinely used are linked to a range of diseases, including the popular herbicide glyphosate, which is classified as a probable human carcinogen by cancer experts at the World Health Organization. Nitrates are also tied to cancer, particularly when consumed in drinking water or other dietary sources.
Agricultural fertilizers and manure from large-scale livestock operations are key sources for nitrates, which are known to contaminate surface water and groundwater. In addition to looking at pesticides and nitrates, the research will also look at cancer links to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs). Earlier this year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warned of elevated cancer risks related to such farm fertilizer contaminated with PFAs. The work will also include a deeper look at the state’s high levels of radon as a key cancer cause, said Elise Pohl, former community health consultant for the Iowa department of health who is the lead researcher for the project. Radon, a leading cause of lung cancer, is particularly high across Iowa, with approximately 50% of homes facing radon levels above federal regulatory action levels.
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https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/18/iowa-farm-chemicals-cancer
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