Iowa senator pushes to ban paraquat
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Iowa Sen. Art Staed sits for a portrait on Aug. 3 in his Cedar Rapids condo. Photo: Luke Nozicka/Courtesy of Midwest Newsroom
Iowa Sen. Art Staed (D-Cedar Rapids) has watched Parkinson's disease change nearly everything about his life, and now he's trying to keep other Iowans from potentially developing it, according to Midwest Newsroom.
Why it matters: He introduced a bill this year that would place Iowa in a growing national debate over paraquat, a widely used U.S. herbicide that some studies have linked to an elevated risk of Parkinson's.
- The bill never got a hearing, but is part of a wave of similar efforts in statehouses nationwide.
State of play: Lawmakers in at least 10 states, including Missouri, Illinois, Minnesota and Michigan, proposed banning or restricting paraquat's sale or use this year. Three more states considered barring its use near schools.
- Only Vermont has enacted a statewide legislative ban.
- More than 70 countries have banned it outright, including every EU nation and China, which is also among the largest exporters of paraquat to the U.S., Midwest Newsroom reports.
The other side: Agricultural groups opposing restrictions say paraquat is an affordable and effective tool for farmers, including for drying soybeans before harvest, the Midwest Newsroom reports.
- The EPA describes it as "an important tool for the control of weeds" and says there are no direct one-to-one alternatives for some uses.
Yes, but: The EPA also classifies it as a restricted-use pesticide because of its toxicity and allows only trained, certified applicators to use it.
Zoom in: Paraquat is relatively uncommon in Iowa, accounting for just 0.04% of the state's pesticide use in the latest available federal data, the Newsroom reports.
- Nationally, however, paraquat use more than doubled between 2012 and 2018, and EPA estimates millions of pounds are applied annually.
The big picture: In Iowa's gubernatorial race, GOP nominee Zach Lahn told Tucker Carlson in February that paraquat is a "harsh product" and said it's a problem the Environmental Protection Agency allows it.
- During a town hall meeting, Democrat Rob Sand said products that cause "suffering" should be held accountable.
What they're saying: Staed, who announced his own Parkinson's diagnosis last year, says he's lost the ability to enjoy long walks and bike rides and now sometimes uses a wheelchair.
- "The difficult thing is to know there's no cure," Staed told Midwest Newsroom. "The hard thing is knowing it's not getting better."
What's next: He plans to reintroduce the ban in the 2027 session.