Ag Students Now Required to Drink Chemical Runoff

A damning report was just released by the College of Public Health, placing Iowa as second in the United States in terms of cancer rates. Polk County, the Des Moines metropolitan area, and various other rural communities remain most affected. Oncologists are blaming the leakage of hog manure and chemical runoff, which contaminates local aquifers.

In response to this controversy, Agricultural students will now have to drink 6oz of chemical pesticides to “build up tolerance and to familiarize themselves with the chemicals they spray on America’s food.” Students are expected to take their rations by drinking a regular cup of Iowa City Water, or they can stand under an active crop duster for at least 15 seconds. The same amount of exposure should be derived from both activities.

Students in Iowa’s limited Agricultural programs have mixed feelings on the change. One made their disgusts known on the 3 person Ag GroupMe, but the other two seemed way too excited to mix their chemical sludge with the syrups from Clinton Street Market.

This new program will substitute 3 credit hours from the Chemical and Bioengineering requirements of all Agricultural disciplines, with the College of Public Health hoping to implement these changes in the fall semester of 2026.