Rising cancer rates have emerged as a primary concern for political candidates in Iowa, a key battleground state in the November midterm elections. The Midwestern state holds the second-highest cancer rate nationwide and is one of only three states, alongside Utah and West Virginia, where incidences of the disease are increasing, according to data from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.
Ahead of the 3 November elections, candidates are making promises to address the issue a top priority. Republicans aiming to maintain their party's dominance and Democrats hoping to win key races have pledged to combat the disease. Their approaches differ, particularly regarding the extent to which the state's agricultural economy contributes to the health crisis and potential solutions.
Sarah Green, executive director of the Iowa Environmental Council, stated that both parties are compelled to respond to public demand for action and answers regarding the issue. Iowa's cancer rates began climbing in 2012, diverging from national trends, for reasons that Green said remain unclear. A survey has identified cancer as the top issue facing the state, even above the cost of living.
Iowa is a major agricultural producer, leading the US in corn and pork production and being a significant grower of soy. Agriculture accounts for a third of the state's economic output and a fifth of its jobs. However, Iowa farmers use more fertiliser than any other state and have the highest number of concentrated animal feeding operations. Green noted that Iowa also has relatively few regulations to prevent pesticides and farm runoff, which can contain cancer-linked nitrates, from affecting people and water supplies.
In 2022, Iowa's overall cancer rate was approximately 506 cases per 100,000 people, exceeding the national average of 442 per 100,000. The state also has elevated rates of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and acute myeloid leukemia, cancers that some studies suggest may be linked to glyphosate, a widely used fertiliser. Last year, the water utility serving Des Moines, the state capital, implemented its first-ever lawn watering ban due to near-record nitrate levels in its water sources, and water rationing was ordered again this summer.