Barb Kalbach

Iowans are struggling through a mounting public health crisis, and the U.S. Supreme Court just took one of our tools to seek redress off the table. Bayer, the manufacturer of Roundup, couldn’t get their way at the Iowa statehouse or in Congress, so they went to our nation’s highest court to protect their profits at our expense.

The U.S. Supreme Court on June 25 essentially gave legal immunity to Bayer in their 7-2 ruling preventing states from allowing failure-to-warn lawsuits. Glyphosate, the main active ingredient in Roundup, is classified as a probable carcinogen by independent researchers and the World Health Organization. But that didn’t matter to Bayer, the Trump administration, and the top brass at the EPA.

Today, farmers and everyday people harmed by these chemicals can no longer seek legal recourse against the companies that are making them sick. Meanwhile, Iowa’s cancer rates are skyrocketing. We rank second in the nation and are the only state where cases are rising.

In recent years, Bayer paid out over $11 billion to resolve approximately 100,000 claims from individuals who developed cancer after using Roundup. They were facing tens of thousands more in claims before they found an ally in the form of the Supreme Court.

Roundup was used on and off for years in our family fields after it was first introduced in the 1970s. It’s hard not to use a product like Roundup, because it kills weeds and grass so quickly. And they don’t build up a resistance to it. But, as a nurse, my concerns grew over time. We eventually stopped using it as much. After farming now for 60 years, my husband is among those with cancer. I’m not saying it’s connected. But I know he’s far from alone.

Bayer began its efforts to shield itself from lawsuits with state legislatures. Here in Iowa, the company spent nearly $124,000 on lobbyists in 2025 when it was pushing its “Cancer Gag Act.” That’s more than six times what it spent in the years prior to Bayer pushing for immunity from lawsuits.

Iowans fought like hell. And we won. For four years we shut down proposed bills that would have shielded the company from litigation for causing cancer. Nearly 90% of us said, “No. Not here.” And we weren’t alone.

We saw bills that almost read word for word introduced in states across the country. Only three states – North Dakota, Georgia and Kentucky – adopted the legislation, gagging their residents and loved ones who are battling cancer after exposure to glyphosates. That’s how we arrived at last month’s U.S. Supreme Court decision.

Agriculture is deeply rooted in and a vital part of Iowa’s heritage and future. So, too, is a reverence for the land and our natural resources. And each other. That’s why the Supreme Court decision isn’t the end all be all in this fight. We look out for each other, and we’ll continue to demand a government of, by, and for the people, that works for we the people.

Barb Kalbach is a fourth generation family farmer, retired registered nurse, and longtime member of Iowa CCI. She can be reached at barbnealkalbach@gmail.com.