Iowa chose to make water quality initiatives by farmers voluntary, thereby removing any serious intent or disciplinary framework. Agriculture has a huge corporate footprint in the state, from land ownership to control of seed and chemicals.
Health is highly linked to nutritional sources. Ours as a nation will continue to decline until we change those sources.
Yep, and if its doing this to us think of the impact on all of the other members of our community - fish, wildlife, plants, etc. Wonder how many of them die and get sick from this stuff?
For the connection to health impacts alone, ANCJ. Even if one disagrees with CJ (Chris Jones) on other assertions in this essay, American Needs more ag policy, health related decisions built upon science. It has not always been this dismal: Over 30 years ago, the Iowa Demo controlled Legislature, with Gov. Branstad’s signature, created the Center for HealthEffects of Environmental Contamination, as part of the same law that created the Leopold Center for Sustainable Ag at ISU and the Waste Reduction Center at UNI.
Ouch! Thanks for the hard truths, backed with facts, Chris. Twenty years ago we built in between corn fields, and dug our own 150' well. Since then our nitrate levels have risen from 11 ppm to 14, despite us doing nothing to contribute to it. We're putting in a reverse osmosis system next week, in order to try to protect our health. We're footing the whole bill because those who probably bear responsibility, won't. I nag my state representative and senator (so far to no avail) about this issue -- not so much for us who can afford mitigation, but for those who can't.
Keep on pushing, Chris. We need your voice to inspire us.
And then there is corn syrup in our pop which the body does not read as "filling." Therefore, we have this incredible rate of obesity in Iowa and elsewhere. I suggest that those huge pop containers and the high-fat meat (bacon/cheese/burgers) and pizza Iowans eat are another cause for poor health, C-Pap Machines and early death.
Excellent article! While I have always known the corporate boys weren’t in it just to be nice; these statistics are horrifying! As I sit here on our wooded property that is in the middle of the Georgia poultry agricultural center, my worry for my own well grows. I will be having further testing ASAP. Please keep making noise and spreading the word!
Very good info. I believe u have said Kentucky has highest cancer rate? What causes theirs? Also what are the next few states. Yes, Ia farmers can be worth a million or more, ON PAPER, if it's paid for that took maybe through their lifetime. Just 80 A. at $12,500/A, not top ground today, is worth a million. An 80 won't support a family or a farming op. There are reasons IA doesn't raise other crops, Tvegetables, (California) , wheat (too much humidity causing diseases), dairy alfalfa(rains wrong time), oats (canada) potatoes, sugar beats, etc. Over the years through trial and error it's been found corn and SB are best for here.
Cheering the saving of some of the kids, not by environmental protection and dietary prevention, but by medical Hail Mary. Harkening back to temples and ball courts, elites wielding obsidian knives, and sacrifices keeping sun and earth aligned, for maximum maize.
I also believe the start of the ANF logo started in the1980's farm crisis. At a time of crashing agriculture , many farm bankruptcies, small and larger farm liquidation there was a player/s on U of I football team whose farm family's were going through bad financial problems. Coach Ferentz came up with the idea to show his support by the ANF logo. Now 50 yrs later Farm Bureau still supports it. Waht's wrong with that?
Organic small grains farmer here. Illinois. Most excellent and disturbing reading.
Thank you again for speaking the truth for Iowans- You're one of the best scientists we have in our State...WE ARE beyond GRATEFUL!!!
Excellent piece!
Iowa chose to make water quality initiatives by farmers voluntary, thereby removing any serious intent or disciplinary framework. Agriculture has a huge corporate footprint in the state, from land ownership to control of seed and chemicals.
Health is highly linked to nutritional sources. Ours as a nation will continue to decline until we change those sources.
WOW... thank you for so wonderfully tying together all those subtle and often repressed loose ends, Chris!!! Mary McB
Yep, and if its doing this to us think of the impact on all of the other members of our community - fish, wildlife, plants, etc. Wonder how many of them die and get sick from this stuff?
For the connection to health impacts alone, ANCJ. Even if one disagrees with CJ (Chris Jones) on other assertions in this essay, American Needs more ag policy, health related decisions built upon science. It has not always been this dismal: Over 30 years ago, the Iowa Demo controlled Legislature, with Gov. Branstad’s signature, created the Center for HealthEffects of Environmental Contamination, as part of the same law that created the Leopold Center for Sustainable Ag at ISU and the Waste Reduction Center at UNI.
Ouch! Thanks for the hard truths, backed with facts, Chris. Twenty years ago we built in between corn fields, and dug our own 150' well. Since then our nitrate levels have risen from 11 ppm to 14, despite us doing nothing to contribute to it. We're putting in a reverse osmosis system next week, in order to try to protect our health. We're footing the whole bill because those who probably bear responsibility, won't. I nag my state representative and senator (so far to no avail) about this issue -- not so much for us who can afford mitigation, but for those who can't.
Keep on pushing, Chris. We need your voice to inspire us.
Thank you! So grateful to all who take on the sacred cow of industrial ag!
Iowa Farm Bureau does little to support farmers....
And then there is corn syrup in our pop which the body does not read as "filling." Therefore, we have this incredible rate of obesity in Iowa and elsewhere. I suggest that those huge pop containers and the high-fat meat (bacon/cheese/burgers) and pizza Iowans eat are another cause for poor health, C-Pap Machines and early death.
Excellent article! While I have always known the corporate boys weren’t in it just to be nice; these statistics are horrifying! As I sit here on our wooded property that is in the middle of the Georgia poultry agricultural center, my worry for my own well grows. I will be having further testing ASAP. Please keep making noise and spreading the word!
Am embarrassed, as a UI grad, that UI is in bed with this ANF thing, promoted by Farm Bureau !
How 'bout a Blk Gold t-shirt that proclaims ANCW, w/Farmers Union tag line ?
Very good info. I believe u have said Kentucky has highest cancer rate? What causes theirs? Also what are the next few states. Yes, Ia farmers can be worth a million or more, ON PAPER, if it's paid for that took maybe through their lifetime. Just 80 A. at $12,500/A, not top ground today, is worth a million. An 80 won't support a family or a farming op. There are reasons IA doesn't raise other crops, Tvegetables, (California) , wheat (too much humidity causing diseases), dairy alfalfa(rains wrong time), oats (canada) potatoes, sugar beats, etc. Over the years through trial and error it's been found corn and SB are best for here.
Cheering the saving of some of the kids, not by environmental protection and dietary prevention, but by medical Hail Mary. Harkening back to temples and ball courts, elites wielding obsidian knives, and sacrifices keeping sun and earth aligned, for maximum maize.
Chris, we recently learned that Iowa leads the nation in the incidence of cancer. Now we've found that both organic and inorganic fertilizers are loaded with microplastics: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2412529-fertilisers-are-a-major-source-of-microplastic-pollution-in-soil/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home
The NIH recently established that there may be a link between microplastics and a type of cancer not uncommon in Iowa: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10340669/
The groundwater thread through these is obvious. Are you aware of any entity exploring these connections in Iowa?
I also believe the start of the ANF logo started in the1980's farm crisis. At a time of crashing agriculture , many farm bankruptcies, small and larger farm liquidation there was a player/s on U of I football team whose farm family's were going through bad financial problems. Coach Ferentz came up with the idea to show his support by the ANF logo. Now 50 yrs later Farm Bureau still supports it. Waht's wrong with that?