Pesticide

Iowa’s House and Senate leaders said Thursday they need more time to review an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that aims to increase the supply of glyphosate-based weedkillers in the U.S. It comes as the state Legislature decides whether to shield pesticide companies from certain lawsuits.

A report published this week by Investigate Midwest dives into the connection between pesticide use and rising cases of cancer for those in farming communities nationwide. Editor in Chief Ben Felder details the findings, and we hear from two Iowans that recently fought cancer who are featured in the article. Later in the episode, Luther College junior Mansur Kasali led a student initiative focused on making the federal budget and national debt a matter of shared civic responsibility, rather than abstract politics.

According to new DNR reports, raptor surveyors and volunteers documented 58 osprey fledglings and 28 peregrine falcon fledglings in 2025. The positive numbers stem from years-long restoration efforts in Iowa.

Many people are concerned that Iowa’s high cancer rates are tied to the state’s large agricultural industry and all the chemicals farmers use to grow crops and kill weeds. But researchers say making that connection is hard.

Roundup maker Bayer has been pushing bills in at least 11 states, including Iowa, to shield itself and other pesticide companies from cancer lawsuits. The Iowa House has declined to advance the bill ahead of a key legislative deadline.

Iowa is in the minority of states that offer no paid parental leave to state employees.

Republicans in the Iowa Senate advanced a bill Wednesday that would limit lawsuits by Iowans seeking compensation for pesticide-related illnesses. Bayer proposed it to cut down on lawsuits alleging that farmers got cancer from being exposed to Roundup.

Republicans in the Iowa Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would bar Iowans with severe illnesses from suing pesticide manufacturers for failing to warn them of potential health risks like cancer.

The EPA has completed less than 5% of its Endangered Species Act caseload in reviewing pesticides. Now the agency is proposing a new strategy for scrutinizing agricultural chemicals’ effects on listed species.