The U.S. House has passed a version of the Farm Bill without an immunity shield for pesticide makers if their products are found to be carcinogenic.
Food and clean water advocates are encouraged the measure does not contain a so-called "Cancer Gag Act," but it makes large cuts to food and nutrition assistance programs.
Last year, the Iowa Legislature defeated a provision which would have provided chemical makers such as Bayer, which produces the glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup, immunity from cancer lawsuits. In response, Bayer took its fight for immunity to the federal level.
Jennifer Breon, Iowa senior organizer for the advocacy group Food and Water Watch, said public sentiment is catching up with science suggesting glyphosate is carcinogenic.
"That's a validation of all the activism and all the work that Iowans have done to make sure that there was no 'Cancer Gag Act' either in Iowa or at the federal level," Breon asserted.
The Farm Bill, which was last rewritten in 2018, has been extended through the end of September. The new bill awaits action in the Senate. Pesticide makers have said they are complying with current labeling laws with their products.
Despite positive changes to accountability measures for pesticide makers, Breon is raising concern about a $187 billion cut to SNAP in the legislation. It would also support the Enhance Access To SNAP Act, designed to prohibit state and local governments from imposing regulations on egg and pork production.
"What that will mean in Iowa is smaller producers who want to have better conditions in hog confinements, for example, they want to farm sustainably, they're not going to be able to compete with the huge corporate hog industry," Breon explained.
No matter what winds up in the final Farm Bill, the immunity shield issue will still not be completely settled. The U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering a case which will decide on immunity for chemical makers once and for all. The High Court is expected to rule next month.