Iowa’s water crisis has reached a boiling point. In great part due to pollution from industrial agriculture, particularly factory farms, Iowa has some of the nation’s most polluted waterways and is one of only two states with rising cancer rates.

While state and federal leaders have failed to protect their constituents for years, public concern has reached a tipping point. Recent polling from Global Strategy Group on behalf of Food & Water Action shows that water quality is a top concern for voters across the state on both sides of the aisle, and is for some constituencies a more serious concern than affordability. 

As election season revs up, Iowans are making their wishes loud and clear. They want strong protections that defend their water and curb Big Ag pollution. Candidates who ignore this do so at their political peril. 

Moreover, as Iowa is home to some of the most contested swing districts in the country, clean water may decide which party takes the U.S. House of Representatives in November’s midterm elections.

The Numbers Are In — Iowans Demand Clean Water 

Our statewide poll, conducted by Global Strategy Group, found that clean water and cancer rates are top concerns for voters. Specifically, 

• 72% of Iowa voters say the state’s rising cancer rates are a very serious problem. That’s higher than the rate of concern for the cost of living (61%).
• 58% of Iowa voters say the state’s water quality and water pollution are a very serious problem. Almost half of voters (43%) say their own household has been affected by water quality issues in the past five years.

We know that much of the current water crisis lies at the feet of factory farms. Iowa’s thousands of factory farms produce more waste than any other state in the country — 109 billion pounds each year, much of which washes into waterways. 

These facilities are squeezing out independent farms, gutting rural economies, fouling the air, and polluting the water with toxic nitrates. Factory farms have very few supporters among voters. Only 9% rated factory farms as favorable.

Iowans broadly agree — this is an issue their leaders can and must take action on. Our polling found that: 

• 82% of voters say they’d be more likely to vote for an elected official who prioritizes clean water, including by limiting Big Ag’s pollution. 
• By a 70%-28% margin, voters say it’s more important to reduce pollution from industrial agriculture than to limit regulations to protect the ag industry.

Reining in Big Ag is Key to Iowa’s Public Health Crisis

Iowa waterways have the nation’s highest concentration of toxic nitrates, which are linked to a host of negative health outcomes, including cancer. Recently, nitrate levels in the Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers reached near-record highs, soaring over the federal limit. (Worse, recent studies suggest that nitrate exposure could be toxic at levels far below this limit.)

To defend Iowans’ health and lives, leaders must pass policies that finally rein in Big Ag’s pollution. Our partner organization, Food & Water Watch, recently released a set of policy recommendations that explain exactly what Iowa needs. In February 2026, state lawmakers introduced a package of bills to enact those recommendations.

For too long, Iowa has relied on voluntary programs to reduce pollution. Not surprisingly, letting polluters decide whether or not to reduce their pollution doesn’t work. The approach is utterly failing to fix Iowa’s nitrate crisis.

At the same time, the Republican-controlled state legislature has defunded statewide water quality monitoring. This has allowed Big Ag to pollute under a shroud of secrecy, putting families and communities at risk.

This crisis isn’t inevitable. Other agricultural states have protected public health from ag pollution through commonsense policies. Yet so far, Iowa’s Republican state leadership and Congressional representatives have refused to protect Iowa from Big Ag’s abuses. They’ve looked the other way as factory farms have turned waterways into cesspools and transformed drinking water into a toxic chemical cocktail.

This must change, and Iowa’s voters agree. Nearly 4 out of 5 (79%) of voters support mandatory pollution reductions. The same proportion also supports funding for water quality monitoring.

Clean Water For Iowa is Central to State — and Even National — Politics

Clean water issues won’t just affect state politics. Iowa voters could determine control of the U.S. House of Representatives this fall. In the upcoming midterms, Democrats have an opportunity to flip the Republican-held House. 

Iowa is home to some of the most vulnerable Republican seats in the country, including the First and Third Congressional Districts. Both races — where Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn, respectively, will face challengers — are toss-ups. Notably, Rep. Miller-Meeks held onto her seat by less than 800 votes in 2024. 

While Iowans statewide overwhelmingly support mandatory pollution reduction, that support jumps even more in these districts. In IA-01, 85% are in support, and in IA-03, 83%.

Nevertheless, in December, both Miller-Meeks and Nunn voted to pass the PERMIT Act, which would open the gates for further agricultural pollution by weakening the Clean Water Act. Water quality issues will also surely come into play in this year’s races for Iowa state governor and U.S. Senator.

Our polling shows that a pro-corporate, deregulatory approach will fail with Iowans across the state. Voters agree — the state must confront Big Ag’s water pollution crisis head-on and actually rein in the industry. And they’ll support candidates who commit to doing so.