Iowans are deeply concerned about the link between pesticides and cancer, and they’re not holding back. A recent survey of 875 Iowa voters* reveals a groundswell of opposition to granting legal immunity to the makers of Roundup and other products linked to certain cancers.
The message is crystal clear: Iowans want accountability, and they don’t buy the idea of shielding multi-national conglomerates from responsibility.
Key Findings from the Survey
- Overwhelming Opposition to Immunity: 89% of Iowans oppose giving chemical companies like Bayer/Monsanto immunity from lawsuits. This opposition spans party lines, with 87% of Republican respondents also opposing such measures.
- Deep Distrust of Chemical Companies: The survey reveals a significant lack of trust in chemical companies to keep people healthy and safe; 96% don’t trust Chinese state-owned ChemChina/Syngenta to do so, 89% don’t trust Monsanto, and 76% don’t trust Bayer.
- Is Bayer Profiting from a Cancer Crisis? 88% of respondents expressed deep concern about Bayer producing Roundup, which is linked to certain cancers, while also ramping up production and marketing of cancer treatment drugs.
- EPA Oversight Questioned: 94% called foul when told the Environmental Protection Agency does not conduct its own safety studies on the chemicals it regulates and instead relies on studies provided by the chemical companies.
- Support for Accountability: Iowans overwhelmingly support measures to hold chemical companies accountable:
- 93% of respondents support punishing companies with fines that force them to change how they do business if they act with reckless disregard for safety;
- 93% support compensating victims who have suffered health problems or property damage.
Say “NO” to Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Cards
After this survey, the message from Iowans to their legislators should be loud and clear: “Say NO to any legislation giving multi-national chemical companies a get-out-of-jail-free card for the harm caused by their products.”
Last year, this effort came disguised as an “innocuous labeling bill,” which the Iowa House wisely rejected. However, chemical company lobbyists are back again this year with plans to spend millions throughout farm country to convince us that their chemicals are safe and that they will stop making Roundup and other critical agriculture products if they don’t get immunity.
Clearly, these survey results show that Iowans are not naive. Again and again, they’ve seen big corporations try and get away with causing widespread harm. They’ve seen it with tobacco, asbestos, and opioids. Now, it’s pesticides, and they are unwilling to let these companies off the hook for the harm they cause.
You can add your comments about the bill for legislators to see here.
* The Iowa Pesticide Poll surveyed 875 registered Iowa voters in September 2024. The poll was conducted by Embold Research. Download a summary of the survey here.
