Corn Belt has received increasing attention, particularly in states like Iowa, which has been reported to have one of the highest and fastest-rising age-adjusted cancer rates in the country.
Key findings and areas of concern regarding cancer in the Corn Belt (which generally includes states like Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, and Kansas) include:
- Rising Rates in Young Adults: A significant finding from recent data analysis is that cancer diagnoses are rising more rapidly among young adults (ages 15 to 49) in Corn Belt states compared to the national average.
- Specific Cancers: Young adults in these states are reportedly showing significantly higher rates of certain cancers, particularly kidney and skin cancers, compared to their peers in other states.
- High Overall Incidence: Some Corn Belt states, like Iowa, consistently rank very high nationally for the overall age-adjusted rate of new cancer diagnoses.
- Potential Environmental Factors: Research and public health concerns in the region have focused on environmental exposures related to intensive agriculture as potential contributors. These factors include:
- Pesticides and Herbicides: The widespread use of agricultural chemicals, including known and probable carcinogens like glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup), has been linked in studies to increased risks for certain cancers like non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, and prostate cancer, especially in high-productivity areas.
- Nitrate in Drinking Water: High levels of nitrate contamination in public and private drinking water supplies, primarily from fertilizer and manure runoff, have been linked in studies to elevated risks of cancers like colorectal, bladder, and ovarian cancer, even at levels below the regulatory limits.
- Other Exposures: Other environmental factors sometimes discussed include high levels of radon (a known carcinogen) in homes, and exposure to other chemicals from industrial sources or animal feeding operations.
The link between agricultural practices and health outcomes is a serious cause for concern. We are told that local public health efforts in the region are increasingly focusing on understanding and mitigating environmental risk factors, including those tied to the agricultural industry.
Additional Information
Recent analyses indicate that leading corn-producing states in the Corn Belt have cancer rates approximately 5% higher than the national average for both young adults (ages 15-49) and the overall population. In Iowa specifically, the age-adjusted incidence rate climbed from 18th nationally at the turn of the century to 5th today for adults under 50. Skin cancer risks are notably elevated in these states, with rates 35% higher for young men and 66% higher for young women compared to peers elsewhere.
According to the 2025 Cancer in Iowa report from the Iowa Cancer Registry, an estimated 21,200 new invasive cancers will be diagnosed among Iowans this year, with 6,300 deaths projected – a 0.7% annual increase in crude incidence rates from 2000-2022. Iowa maintains the second-highest age-adjusted rate of new cancer diagnoses in the U.S. (491.8 per 100,000 from 2017-2021), trailing only Kentucky, and ranks highly for specific types: tied for 1st in oral cavity and pharynx cancers, 3rd in non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 4th in leukemia, esophagus, and melanoma. While only about 1% of cases (around 150 annually) occur in children and adolescents (ages 0-19), with common types being leukemias, brain tumours, and lymphomas, roughly 11% of all cancer survivors in the state are under age 50. The report emphasises prevention strategies like tobacco cessation, radon mitigation, cancer screenings, and healthy lifestyles, but notes potential underdiagnosis due to reduced screenings during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mounting evidence points to long-term exposure to agricultural inputs as a factor, with studies linking fertilisers, pesticides (including glyphosate, classified as a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organisation), and nitrates in groundwater to heightened risks for cancers like non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, prostate, colorectal, bladder, and ovarian. Iowa’s intensive farming – leading in corn production, top-five in soybeans and cattle, with 237 million pounds of weed killers and 11.6 billion pounds of fertiliser used annually has drawn scrutiny, as nitrate levels from manure (up 80% since 2002) contaminate water supplies. University of Iowa researchers Elise Pohl and David Cwiertny highlight multiple environmental contributors, including PFAS in fertilisers and high radon (affecting 50% of homes above federal limits), while noting a 20-year latency period aligning with the state’s agricultural industrialisation since the 1990s. Personal accounts from residents, such as farmers Dianne Chambers (breast cancer survivor) and Alex Hammer (colon cancer at 37), underscore community fears of chemical and water contamination.
However, not all attributions focus on agriculture. A 2024 Iowa Cancer Registry report sparked controversy by primarily linking the rise (starting around 2012) to binge drinking, with Iowa’s 22% binge rate (highest in the Midwest) tied to alcohol-related cancers like those of the oral cavity, esophagus, liver, and breast. Critics, including retired professor James Merchant, question this emphasis given stable alcohol trends and Iowa’s mid-tier per capita consumption, arguing it overlooks industrial ag’s role. The Iowa Corn Growers Association expresses interest in all causes (e.g., smoking, obesity, alcohol, radon) and stresses adherence to EPA pesticide guidelines, while farmers note reluctance to criticize the industry due to economic dependence. Bipartisan legislative efforts in Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota aim to fund research and mitigation, such as a proposed $5.25 million for cancer source identification and fertilizer taxes for nitrate cleanup.
Ongoing investigative series like “Cancer in the Corn Belt” by The New Lede expose Iowa’s soaring rates as a public health crisis potentially fueled by industrial agriculture. Similar concerns extend to neighboring states; for instance, Nebraska has the highest pediatric cancer rate west of the Mississippi, linked to nitrate pollution from hog operations.
For visual context, here is a map illustrating cancer incidence rates across U.S. counties, with darker shades indicating higher rates (note the concentration in parts of the Midwest, including the Corn Belt):
References
- Washington Post (2025): “The mysterious rise of cancer among young adults in the Corn Belt.”
- The Guardian (2025): “‘Cancer is just everywhere’: could farming be behind Iowa’s unfolding health crisis?”
- Iowa Cancer Registry (2025): “Cancer in Iowa 2025” report.
- Iowa Capital Dispatch (2024): “New report sparks questions and controversy over possible causes for Iowa ‘cancer crisis’.”
- The New Lede (2025): “Cancer in the Corn Belt” series.
- Additional sources include Capitol Fax (2025), EHN (2025), and X posts from users like @modeshift (2023) discussing regional trends.
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