Communities in Iowa and other agricultural heartlands can no longer overlook surging cancer rates, according to experts speaking Thursday.

In an Investigate Midwest panel on pesticides and public health, discussants emphasized escalating alarms over environmental threats linked to intensive farming practices - including pesticides, nitrate pollution, PFAS and radon gas.

The online session spotlighted oncologist Dr. Richard Deming from MercyOne Cancer Center in Des Moines, investigative reporter Carey Gillam, Iowa Environmental Council policy director Kerri Johannsen, Food & Water Watch research director Amanda Starbuck and Iowa resident Lisa Lawler, a breast cancer survivor diagnosed last year.

Hosted by Second Story Fundraising, the discussion forms part of Investigate Midwest's in-depth coverage of pesticide applications, cancer trends and wellness issues in farming areas.

A national review revealed that the 500 counties with the heaviest pesticide use per square mile cluster in the Midwest. Notably, 60% of these areas exceed the U.S. average cancer incidence of 460 cases per 100,000 residents, based on U.S. Geological Survey and National Cancer Institute data.

Johannsen noted that the Iowa Environmental Council, collaborating with The Harkin Institute, conducted over a dozen community forums statewide last year, where similar narratives emerged consistently.

"One question we posed was, 'Have you or a loved one received a cancer diagnosis?' In every venue, every hand rose, and attendees exchanged glances in a shared epiphany that this was a pervasive local crisis," Johannsen shared.

Lawler, raised on a Hardin County farm in Iowa, received her breast cancer diagnosis in April 2025 after returning to her roots to assist her aging parents.

Following her diagnosis, Lawler sought genetic screening since her mother had also battled breast cancer. With no typical inherited markers detected, she voiced suspicions of external influences.

She and fellow speakers made clear that farmers bear no fault.

"These are diligent folks who view themselves as responsible land caretakers," she explained. "The real issue lies in what they are advised to apply to their fields."

Interested in More Dialogues Like This?

Your contributions enable Investigate Midwest to keep covering pesticides, public health and the forces influencing rural Midwest life.

Speakers portrayed contemporary agriculture as a framework forged by years of industrial methods, agrochemical firms and national farm policies, fostering deep dependence on pesticides among growers.

Gillam, author of Whitewash and The Monsanto Papers, explained how glyphosate application exploded following Monsanto's launch of spray-tolerant genetically modified crops, spurring weed resistance and intensified chemical reliance.

"Today, our crop and food systems are steered by seed and pesticide vendors who sway legislators, officials, leaders and regulators on crop management and safety claims," Gillam stated.

Deming attributed Iowa's nation-second-highest cancer rates to multiple elements but stressed the imperative to scrutinize pervasive agrichemicals and exceptional radon levels.

"We must examine environmental factors because vast swaths of land undergo chemical-treated cultivation, with substantial proof that certain agents elevate cancer risks," Deming asserted.

The group also addressed active lawsuits against pesticide producers like Bayer, plus an impending U.S. Supreme Court ruling that may determine if such firms remain liable for not alerting users to product-related cancer dangers.

Discourse often circled back to conflicts between high-yield farming and community wellbeing. Starbuck contended that America has grown hooked on chemical-heavy commodity crops, trapping farmers economically as much Midwestern corn fuels ethanol, livestock feed and processed goods.

Direct human consumption represents a tiny fraction, she observed.

"Farmers did not design this structure, which actually yields losses for most operators annually. Escaping it proves challenging, so we require policies offering financial aid and training to transition toward diverse operations and viable markets."

Viewers voiced issues on pesticide drift, large-scale animal operations and limited rural oncology services.

This forum unfolds amid nationwide statehouse and judicial battles over pesticide rules, corporate safeguards and industrial farming's ecological toll.