Des Moines, IA — Today, a Senate subcommittee voted 2-1 (Sen. Bisignano dissenting) to advance Bayer’s Cancer Gag Act, introduced last week as Senate Study Bill 1051. The legislation to shield pesticide manufacturers from lawsuits related to the health impacts of their products now heads to a full Judiciary Committee vote.

On Monday at 1:30pm, Iowans impacted by the state’s growing cancer crisis will rally at the State Capitol Rotunda in opposition to the dangerous Cancer Gag Act. Speakers will hold a vigil for the thousands of lives lost to cancer each year in Iowa, and call on legislators to oppose the Cancer Gag Act.

Food & Water Watch Iowa Organizer Michaelyn Mankel issued the following statement:

“Industrial agriculture is making us sick, and Iowans know it. Our legislators must put public health and community need ahead of corporate greed. Any vote for the Cancer Gag Act only takes us backwards, silencing struggling Iowans and masking the truth.

“Iowans will rally in droves Monday to send a clear message: Bayer’s Cancer Gag Act must not pass. This is a moment for real leadership — not more corporate bailouts.”

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. 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.