Fields to Faucets Town Hall
On Saturday, I attended the Fields to Faucets town hall in Oakland, Iowa. The panel included farmers, water experts, and healthcare specialists who discussed the growing threats to Iowa’s water quality and public health. It is deeply concerning that Iowa is now the only state where cancer rates are increasing. Even more alarming is the rise in pediatric cancer linked to drinking water with high nitrate levels. When these facts are combined with the steady decline in Iowa’s water quality over the years, it becomes clear that the state is facing a serious water quality and cancer crisis.
The expansion of corporate farming, widespread deforestation, and the practice of using “every square inch” of arable land have significantly reduced natural water filtration while increasing the amount of agricultural chemicals entering groundwater. This crisis extends beyond human health. Poor water quality also severely affects Iowa livestock, as elevated nitrate, salinity, and bacteria levels in surface and groundwater reduce feed intake, cause reproductive problems, and, in severe cases, lead to death.
At the same time, the ongoing disappearance of family farms—replaced by corporate operations—has eroded the long-standing stewardship that Iowa families have practiced for generations. To protect our land, water, and communities, venture capital interests must be removed from the agricultural industry.
