The Gulf of Mexico! That's gonna get you a visit from Kristi Noem and her glam squad! Apt that he's renamed it, seeing as how we've painted it black from the altar blooms
I grew up in Early. This has been an issue there since the early 70s. When the well water I grew up on had to be abandoned because of nitrate levels. Same with small farm consolidation. Yet Steve King reigned in NW Iowa for years.
Many of us could see the changes we needed to make 50+ years ago, and were in the fight to fix many environmental issues. Some of us continued the fight in ways that worked for us or we felt we could make changes for the better. At the same time - we bought a house, bought a car, maybe had kids, got all the proper insurance coverages, consumed properly to help The Economy - and integrated ourselves into the Big System we often disparaged. The time for many big changes really was then, but we all failed to make those happen. That said, now is certainly better than never.
Many thanks, and I will share as widely as an old retired Illinois guy can.
The first time that I heard the name Art Cullen was on the Arnie Arnessen Radio Program, The Attitude. The topic was Nitrate pollution of Iowa watershed. I was living in Texas. Since then , I have inherited the Farm I grew up on in Sibley, not that far from Storm Lake. The radio topic was how Big Agribusiness was using large contributions to County Boards of Supervisors to “not notice” the pollution.
Frankly, I am alarmed at how our newly reacquired farm is being run for maximum profit and minimum sustainability. To poison a vital resource like water is insane.
Another absolutely terrific and important op-ed on possibly the most important issue facing Iowans: our water quality and our state government’s failure to take any meaningful action on it. Keep hammering on this issue. I know Rob Sand is listening.
Well said and the comments of your readers are on target. However, if you went to Okoboji in July, as did several of my friends, you may have found several unawake Iowans boating, fishing and swimming with their young children in the Lake. The same would have been true in Clear lake, and many other Iowa lakes and rivers. Also, there are still uninformed guys fishing off the Scott Street bridge in Des Moines and from the banks of many polluted Iowa Rivers. The headline of your notebook article may just be wishful thinking.
Until the toxicity of Iowa waters adversely affects the bottom line of the tourist industry and the plethora of businesses dependent upon the tourist dollar and exacerbates the concerns had by many for their family's health and their desire for recreational pleasure, nitrates and animal waste will continue to pollute Iowa's waters.
And, as long as Republicans are in charge of undermining the work of Federal government agencies, denying Scientific proof and deliberately abusing and violating law, the EPA, et. al. will continue to change the limits of acceptability and allow you and I to drink and play in water that is unsafe. As you noted: "Not much was news to anyone who had paid attention over at least the past 20 years:......".
I wish Iowan's would experience an alarming wake-up call about the health of their State and the health of their Country.
Iowans are more than waking up, they are losing sleep. They are afraid for the health of their families and buying reverse osmosis devices for their home.
Contrary to the Ag chemical industry posturing that we need more research or demonstration to know what to do on the farms, "been there, done that". Understanding the economics of changing Ag practices was written into the Groundwater Protection law of nearly 40 years ago and listed in the mission of the Leopold Center at ISU.
Knowledge of Ag chemical pollution's potential health effects has been around for at least 50 years, and not (according to our Governor) a new problem caused by recent wet springs. The 1987 Iowa Groundwater Protection Act and the 1988-89 State-Wide Rural Well Survey (SWRL) were direct responses to concerns about nitrate and pesticide contamination, clearly establishing this as a long-standing issue. Water atlases from the Iowa Geological Survey in the 1970s and 80s also documented water quality concerns.
The problem isn't new; our awareness and the data have simply grown.
May all your readers push legislative, federal and other statewide candidates to address these issues, recognizing the complexity of solutions. Current examples of statewide candidates both addressing the solutions and receiving statewide publicity include statements by Stauch and Shoulten
Give a hoot and don’t pollute, kinda cute but ask any newt in Iowa and all you will hear is “we’re still red so I’m probably dead ☠️” sorry for deadpanning but I’m so tired of this stupid approach to Midwest farming and the systematic poisoning of our populous .
The loudest boo I recall was when they shared how the Iowa Nitrate Sensor Network was defunded this past year. Makes me wonder if an article like yours could help pull together crowdfunding for this data to continue!
You don’t have to pollute to farm. Well said, Brother Cullen.
The Iowa Farmers Union shared this editorial with their members. They know they don't have to pollute to farm! Thanks for writing.
The Gulf of Mexico! That's gonna get you a visit from Kristi Noem and her glam squad! Apt that he's renamed it, seeing as how we've painted it black from the altar blooms
I grew up in Early. This has been an issue there since the early 70s. When the well water I grew up on had to be abandoned because of nitrate levels. Same with small farm consolidation. Yet Steve King reigned in NW Iowa for years.
King reeked of diesel and anhydrous, with a little bullshit on the boots
Clear, concise and informative. Great column!
Some classic Art Cullen right here!
Many of us could see the changes we needed to make 50+ years ago, and were in the fight to fix many environmental issues. Some of us continued the fight in ways that worked for us or we felt we could make changes for the better. At the same time - we bought a house, bought a car, maybe had kids, got all the proper insurance coverages, consumed properly to help The Economy - and integrated ourselves into the Big System we often disparaged. The time for many big changes really was then, but we all failed to make those happen. That said, now is certainly better than never.
Many thanks, and I will share as widely as an old retired Illinois guy can.
Succinct truth. Thanks, Art. Let there be clean water.
The first time that I heard the name Art Cullen was on the Arnie Arnessen Radio Program, The Attitude. The topic was Nitrate pollution of Iowa watershed. I was living in Texas. Since then , I have inherited the Farm I grew up on in Sibley, not that far from Storm Lake. The radio topic was how Big Agribusiness was using large contributions to County Boards of Supervisors to “not notice” the pollution.
Frankly, I am alarmed at how our newly reacquired farm is being run for maximum profit and minimum sustainability. To poison a vital resource like water is insane.
Another absolutely terrific and important op-ed on possibly the most important issue facing Iowans: our water quality and our state government’s failure to take any meaningful action on it. Keep hammering on this issue. I know Rob Sand is listening.
Looking for the guy who will take that run from among those who send me 3 texts a day asking for money.
Good morning, Art,
Well said and the comments of your readers are on target. However, if you went to Okoboji in July, as did several of my friends, you may have found several unawake Iowans boating, fishing and swimming with their young children in the Lake. The same would have been true in Clear lake, and many other Iowa lakes and rivers. Also, there are still uninformed guys fishing off the Scott Street bridge in Des Moines and from the banks of many polluted Iowa Rivers. The headline of your notebook article may just be wishful thinking.
Until the toxicity of Iowa waters adversely affects the bottom line of the tourist industry and the plethora of businesses dependent upon the tourist dollar and exacerbates the concerns had by many for their family's health and their desire for recreational pleasure, nitrates and animal waste will continue to pollute Iowa's waters.
And, as long as Republicans are in charge of undermining the work of Federal government agencies, denying Scientific proof and deliberately abusing and violating law, the EPA, et. al. will continue to change the limits of acceptability and allow you and I to drink and play in water that is unsafe. As you noted: "Not much was news to anyone who had paid attention over at least the past 20 years:......".
I wish Iowan's would experience an alarming wake-up call about the health of their State and the health of their Country.
Iowans are more than waking up, they are losing sleep. They are afraid for the health of their families and buying reverse osmosis devices for their home.
Contrary to the Ag chemical industry posturing that we need more research or demonstration to know what to do on the farms, "been there, done that". Understanding the economics of changing Ag practices was written into the Groundwater Protection law of nearly 40 years ago and listed in the mission of the Leopold Center at ISU.
Knowledge of Ag chemical pollution's potential health effects has been around for at least 50 years, and not (according to our Governor) a new problem caused by recent wet springs. The 1987 Iowa Groundwater Protection Act and the 1988-89 State-Wide Rural Well Survey (SWRL) were direct responses to concerns about nitrate and pesticide contamination, clearly establishing this as a long-standing issue. Water atlases from the Iowa Geological Survey in the 1970s and 80s also documented water quality concerns.
The problem isn't new; our awareness and the data have simply grown.
May all your readers push legislative, federal and other statewide candidates to address these issues, recognizing the complexity of solutions. Current examples of statewide candidates both addressing the solutions and receiving statewide publicity include statements by Stauch and Shoulten
Give a hoot and don’t pollute, kinda cute but ask any newt in Iowa and all you will hear is “we’re still red so I’m probably dead ☠️” sorry for deadpanning but I’m so tired of this stupid approach to Midwest farming and the systematic poisoning of our populous .
I was in the room too. Great writing, Art.
The loudest boo I recall was when they shared how the Iowa Nitrate Sensor Network was defunded this past year. Makes me wonder if an article like yours could help pull together crowdfunding for this data to continue!
"This happened under Republican and Democratic regimes." Absolutely! Enough blame to go around. One of your best yet Art!!!
Amen!