Des Moines, IA — Today, the Iowa state legislative session concluded without passage of Bayer’s Cancer Gag Act, which sought to shield pesticide corporations from health related lawsuits. Fully 89% of Iowa voters oppose pesticide immunity legislation. Over 150 Iowans rallied at the State Capitol in February against the bill, and last month, 31 groups representing tens of thousands of Iowa residents sent a letter calling on the Iowa House to stop the dangerous legislation.

Roundup manufacturer Bayer is pushing Cancer Gag Act legislation in state houses across the country. Copycat bills passed in North Dakota and Georgia, while those proposed in ten other state houses have been met with widespread opposition. Reintroduction of the federal version of this legislation, the Agricultural Uniformity Labeling Act, is expected this year.

Food & Water Watch Iowa Organizer Jennifer Breon issued the following statement:

“The cruel Cancer Gag Act has no place in our communities — or anyone’s. This victory belongs to the overwhelming majority of Iowans who fought tirelessly to stop Bayer’s power grab.”

“Now, we remain vigilant to ensure this terrible bill does not gain traction in Congress. We call on Iowa’s Congressional Senators and Representatives to block any effort to pass a federal Cancer Gag Act — just as their constituents did at home.”

Bayer’s push to limit liability comes as the corporation has spent over $11 billion settling more than 100,000 cancer lawsuits related to their Roundup product, whose active ingredient glyphosate is under investigation as a possible carcinogen. Roundup is widely used in Iowa: In any given year, more than half the state is covered in the pesticide. Iowa is the only state in the country with rising cancer rates — the Iowa Cancer Registry predicted 21,000 new, invasive cancer diagnoses last year, and 6,100 cancer-related deaths.