This year, Iowa is seeing an increase in fireflies, but the species’ future remains uncertain. There are more than 200 firefly — or lightning bug — species across North America and over 2,000 worldwide, but scientists say the firefly population has been declining for decades due to factors such as habitat loss, pesticides and droughts.
A new report linking pesticide overuse to children’s health issues has ignited a battle within President Donald Trump’s circle of support, pitting powerful agrichemical giants against some organic food advocates.
The Gazette explores which issues went unresolved by state lawmakers this year that they likely will face again next year.
Farmers use herbicides like Roundup to kill weeds, preventing them from destroying crops. But in recent years, Bayer, which now manufactures Roundup, has faced lawsuits claiming that the pesticide, particularly its main ingredient, glyphosate, causes personal injuries, including cancer.
Friday is the 110th calendar day of the 2025 session of the Iowa Legislature. It is the last day that state lawmakers will receive their stipend for daily housing and meal expenses. While their work is nearing completion, here are some of the important tasks that remain.
The issues illustrate the legislative divide between Republican leaders in the Iowa House and Senate, which was apparent Thursday as legislation neared the second “funnel” deadline of the 2025 session.
Republican Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is leading a legal brief in support of President Donald Trump’s executive order to redefine birthright citizenship. Also in the Notebook, Iowans rally in opposition to a bill shielding pesticide companies from lawsuits over cancer risks.
Agriculture chemical companies would be protected from lawsuits over warning labeling on their products to inform consumers of health risks under a bill passed by the Iowa Senate Wednesday. This bill is now headed to the House, which did not take up a similar bill that was passed by the Senate last year.
The Gazette will host a series of free, virtual talks about the future of agriculture this week, including advances in drone technology and crop genetics, such as short-statured corn.
Charles Benbrook told an Iowa City audience this week that the state’s agriculture is too pesticide intensive, and the chemicals are “harming the soil, harming public health, and it is harming fish populations and birds and the deer.”
Iowa has the fastest-growing rate of new cancers and ranks second-highest in cancer rates compared with other states. That has caught the attention of some Iowa lawmakers, who are aiming to address the problem with proposed legislation.
Also, Iowans protest bill that would shield pesticide companies over failure to warn consumers about health risks of their products
This week on the podcast: Cedar Rapids casino update, the pesticide tort reform bill is back and Iowa House Republicans’ higher education committee is in full swing
Under a bill being considered in the Iowa Senate, Bayer -- the maker of glyphosate-based Roundup -- would be shielded from lawsuits claiming the company failed to warn consumers of health risks if the product label complies with federal labeling requirements.
A bill prohibiting lawsuits over warning labels on products with federal labeling approval passed the Iowa Senate but was not considered in the Iowa House this year
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