SUMMER 2025 ISSUE Focus on Health and Environment MISSION Our food, water, and climate are under constant assault by corporations who put profit over the survival of humanity. They have seized control of the very institutions that were built to protect us. We mobilize people to reclaim their political power, hold our elected officials accountable, and resist corporate control — ensuring we all have the essential resources we need to thrive. This is a fight we must win because this planet is the only one we get.
Thank You For Fighting Like You Live Here!
DIRTY WATER, DIRTY PROFITS: THE PUBLIC HEALTH COST OF FACTORY FARMS
SUMMER 2025 ISSUE The Devastating Toll
Collective Action in 4 Steps
Lisa Rosenfield Podolsky Donated Tesla Stock for Good
of Factory Farm Water Pollution
A MESSAGE FOR YOU “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the next best time is now.” I’ve been thinking about this saying a lot this year. First, it’s our 20th anniversary! Two decades ago, Food & Water Watch planted our intention to protect our food, water, and climate, and thanks to your care and commitment, our mission has taken root and stands strong. Second, over the past twenty years, there have been many times that the challenges seemed too great to over- come, but collective action has made it possible to win the protections that people and the planet need. While the chaos and destruction Trump is wreaking seem daunting, I have hope because so many people are raising their hands to get involved. I know that with every person who joins our movement today — and plants their intention to protect our most precious resources — our chance to make the change we need grows. Inspiring people to take action is Food & Water Watch’s superpower. Since our founding, no matter who is in the White House, we fight against polluting industries — and win real protections for the people and places we love because of people like you, coming together as a collective to fight for a livable future. In these uncertain times, I want to thank you for your dedication to protecting what you love.
THE DEVASTATING TOLL OF FACTORY FARM WATER POLLUTION We shouldn’t have been back there. That should’ve been roped off. We didn’t know it would affect us back then. Nick Schutt grew up in rural Iowa. As a kid, he and his friends would ride bikes to creeks or agricul- tural dredge ditches and catch tadpoles. They’d play in abandoned fields and water wells, even drink from an old hand pump in one such field. This may be a familiar story for folks in rural communities, but it’s one Nick looks back on in horror. Alongside the minnows and tadpoles, he and his friends found empty, rusted-out chemical cans, including ones for a toxic herbicide.
Rise of factory farms = Rise in unsafe water
Over the course of his life, Nick has seen Iowa transform. Once full of small farms and thriving rural communities, the state is now overrun with industrial agriculture, its sprawling warehouses
Cover: Nick Schutt's family owns a farm about an hour north of Des Moines, Iowa. He's fighting to protect the health of his family and community from factory farm pollution. Photo by Julie Russell-Steuart.
Wenonah Hauter Founder and Executive Director
1 | SUMMER 2025
Nick drives photographer, Julie Russell- Steuart, and Food & Water Watch Senior Iowa Organizer, Michaelyn Mankel, through five miles of condensed factory farms that surround his home and his family's farm.
When Nick asked his family if he could share their stories, they responded, “Share the story, please, share the story, ” he told us. “My family’s scared. My neighbors are scared. We gotta get something going.” Nick is pictured here standing in front of one of the dozens of factory farms that have been built within a few miles of his home. Photo by Julie Russell-Steuart.
Nick and Michaelyn visit a local waterway and talk about the damage factory farms have done to Nick's family and community. Photo by Julie Russell-Steuart.
Manure mis- management Factory farms in Iowa produce 109 billion pounds of waste yearly, 25 times that of the state’s human population. Here’s how the industry current- ly “manages” all this manure: Manure collects in huge pits beneath barns. 1
packed with millions of animals and acre upon acre of chemical- drenched cornfields. This rise in factory farming has taken a toll on people’s water. The toxic fertilizers and pesticides used to grow corn and soy, which factory farms depend on for cheap feed, leach into waterways. Fertil- izer and animal waste runoff have led to dangerous nitrate contamination. The harm to Iowa’s water is widespread. In 2024, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources designated more than half of Iowa’s rivers and streams as “impaired.” Not-So-Fun Fact #1 Bayer’s notorious weedkiller, Roundup, is widely used in Iowa. In any given year, more than half the state is covered in the pesticide.
It’s applied, untreated, onto nearby fields, often at volumes too great for the soil to absorb. It runs off, contaminating the soil, rivers, streams, and even aquifers deep underground with danger- ous levels of nitrates.
2
At a clean water forum Food & Water Watch hosted in West Des Moines, Iowa, last October, Nick told the gathering, My family has had a front- row seat to the
3
industrialization of Iowa’s agricultural landscape. We’ve paid for it with our health.
Not-So-Fun Fact #2 To meet federal water qual- ity standards, Des Moines Water Works runs one of the largest nitrate removal systems in the world .
Factory Farm Pollution - continue on Page 3 >
FOOD & WATER WATCH / ACTION — LIVABLE FUTURE NOW | 2
Right: Nick has become a passionate Food & Water Watch volunteer. He spoke powerfully at the Cancer Gag Act rally we organized at the Iowa State Capitol in February of this year. Photo by Eris Hawkins. Left: Iowa has the fastest-growing rate of new cancers in the U.S. “It seems like people around here are dying younger and younger all the time,” Nick said. Nick and his mom, Pam, hold a picture of Tammy, Nick's sister who passed away at age 56. Photo by Julie Russell-Steuart.
> Factory Farm Pollution - continued from Page 2
Factory farm pollution hurts lives Nick has 17 family members who have suffered from cancer over the past few decades. Three of his four siblings have been diagnosed, and he has found benign cysts all over his body. He isn’t surprised that Iowa has the fastest-grow- ing rate of new cancer cases and is second in cancer incidence overall in the U.S. “I can’t believe Iowa’s not number one,” he said, “with the gallons and gallons of chemicals and herbicides I see going up and down the road every day.” There are clear links between agricultural pollution and cancer. Many pesticides may disrupt thyroid function, contributing to the risk of thyroid cancer. Nitrates are linked to thyroid problems, too, along with fatal “blue baby syndrome” and increased risk for certain cancers such as colon, kidney, and ovarian cancer.
Iowa has become a sacrifice zone for industrial agriculture, but reversing course is possible. How you’re taking on factory farms Thanks to you, Food & Water Watch is on the ground, fighting alongside people like Nick to protect communities from factory farm pollution. Your generosity is bringing together people to press elected leaders to: • Pass the Clean Water for Iowa Act. We need a mandatory approach to keeping factory farm waste out of our water. • Pass a factory farm moratorium. We need to stop the expansion and building of factory farms. • Stop Big Ag power grabs. We need to make sure manufacturers of dangerous pesticides and chemicals are held accountable.
Because of you, Jennifer and Michaelyn can protect people from toxic chemicals ON THE GROUND
This dangerous bill would shield pesticide companies from health-related lawsuits and strip people of their rights to hold corporations accountable for the harms their products cause. Powered by you, Jennifer and Michaelyn mobilized a broad coalition of Iowans to send a strong message to elected leaders: put the health of our communities above corporate profits!
When Food & Water Watch learned that Bayer, the maker of
Roundup, was pushing a pesticide immunity bill in Iowa, what we call the Cancer Gag Act, Orga- nizers Jennifer Breon and Michaelyn Mankel knew they needed to act.
Jennifer Breon
Michaelyn Mankel
3 | SUMMER 2025
Collective Action in 4 Steps How do you climb a mountain? One step at a time. The same is true for protecting our food, water, and climate. Here’s how Food & Water Watch breaks down effective collective action in 4 steps. Understand the political lay of the land Take action! 1 3
You power actions that raise the voices of communities harmed by factory farm pollution. Thank you!
We all have something to offer. What are your skills, resources, networks, and interests? You can tap into them and take action in ways you enjoy. For example, this year, Food & Water Watch activists are using all sorts of tactics to protect our water from toxic lead. We identi- fied a handful of Congresspeople in districts troubled by lead pipes. We sent them thousands of emails, held phone banks, orga- nized rallies, published letters to the editor in newspapers, and met with their staff. All these actions add up and push elected officials to listen to their constituents. Find what types of activities make sense for you and jump in! Take care of yourself and each other Getting involved is important, but you don’t need to do everything all the time. We’re in this for the long haul. Pacing ourselves and taking care of each other is vital. Walks in nature, caring for pets, and time with friends keep us energized. And, when we fight as a collective, there’s always some- one to step up when we need to rest. Find strength in each other so that when we’re ready, we can tap back in. 4
Before we take action, we need to understand what’s happen- ing and why. Food & Water Watch has your back! You can turn to us for reliable information on Musk-Trump’s threats to our communities, planet, and democracy. Identify our power and our role Consider how we can best contribute. Understand where we have power and where we need to build more. Food & Water Watch has a lot of resources and supporters in some areas of the country and less in others. We also have organizational allies, each with their own strengths and capacities. Knowing this, we can develop a focused strategy about where, when, and how we fight back. For instance, we research Members of Congress and determine who is most suscep- tible to constituent pressure. We can influence them by focusing on issues that lots of folks care about, like clean water and food safety. And that’s exactly Food & Water Watch’s wheelhouse! 2
Together, we can — and must — build a healthier, more sustainable way to feed our country.
Say NO to Factory Farms! Your gift today keeps our fight against factory farms going strong.
fwaction.us/summer25LFN
Together, our actions successfully pressured the Iowa House Speaker to kill the corporate immunity bill! As of this writing, Bayer is pushing the federal version of this legislation called the Agricultural Uniformity Labeling Act. Your generosity will continue to fight to protect people from toxic chemicals.
Whatever actions you take matter! By working collectively, we can build a brighter future for all.
FOOD & WATER WATCH / ACTION — LIVABLE FUTURE NOW | 4
YOUR FOOD & WATER WATCH AT WORK
ACTION SHOT!
Musk and Trump's looting of the federal government is danger- ous for all of us — for our food, water, climate, and democracy — and
we can't accept it. On April 5, Food & Water Watch and millions of people
across the country and internationally turned out for Hands Off! , the largest day of action since Trump’s second term began.
Food & Water Watch California Director Nicole Ghio spoke at Oakland’s Hands Off! protest.
FEATURED VICTORY Egg prices have soared. Guess what? It’s not just because of bird flu. While food giants like
Because of you, we’re spread- ing the word about egg price gouging. Several media outlets, including The Guardian , BBC, and Bloomberg News , have featured Food & Water Watch Research Director, Amanda Starbuck, and our report.
Cal-Maine profiteer off the bird flu pandemic, they’re also worsening it. The factory farm model creates hotbeds of disease by stuffing millions of animals in small spaces.
Egg prices are spiraling out of control, laying bare the cracks in our corporate food system. Thank you for powering the research that exposed yet another
This spring, Food & Water Watch released a report showing that higher egg prices are not just the result of bird flu, as corporations want you to believe, but also to corporate greed. Cal-Maine is the country’s leading egg producer. Our research discovered it raised egg prices even while its egg-producing facilities were bird flu-free. Their price gouging led to $1 billion in windfall profits in a single year.
instance of why factory farms are terrible for our health and pocketbooks. – Amanda Starbuck
See More of Your Generosity at Work!
Scan this QR code to read your summer quarterly victories update and see more of your impact. fwwat.ch/summer25wins
5 | SUMMER 2025
DONOR SPOTLIGHT
Lisa Rosenfield Podolsky Donated Tesla Stock for Good Please introduce yourself to our readers. My name is Lisa Rosenfield Podolsky. I live in Los Angeles, California, and near Eugene, Oregon, with my husband of 29 years, Dan. Our home in Oregon sits right on the McKenzie River. It fills my heart and refreshes and inspires me every day that I get to watch that river run. How did you hear about Food & Water Watch, and what motivated you to make your first gift? I met the people at Food & Water Watch at the beginning of the first Trump administration and continue to be extremely impressed by their smart, strategic organizing, litigating, and lobbying abilities. Food & Water Watch is scrappy. They have no fear of getting in the trenches, getting their hands dirty, and fighting hard on behalf of all of us. They’re successful in their pursuits, and I appreciate that they put our donations to good use. You recently donated your Tesla stock to Food & Water Watch. Tell us more about this decision. In our investing, my husband and I focus on green technology that helps combat climate change. A lot of liberals initially got involved in electric vehicles to move away from the oil industry, and that was what motivated me as well. Elon Musk's actions make it clear to me that he doesn’t care about the environment anymore — if he ever did. I see Musk as a megalomaniac who uses his financial interests and power to influence democracy and shape our world, and it disgusts me. I have no desire to support him or anything he’s associated with. Taking Tesla stock and donating it to worthy nonprofits like Food & Water Watch felt like turning tainted stock into something positive.
Taking Tesla stock and donating it to worthy
nonprofits like Food & Water Watch felt like turning tainted stock into something positive. — Lisa Rosenfield Podolsky
If you were talking to someone else about giving to and getting involved with Food & Water Watch (or Food and Water Action), what would you tell them? For those who consider themselves activists, it’s sometimes hard to pick yourself up fight after fight, but we must do the work. With Food & Water Watch, I’ve been to city council meetings, I’ve met with Wenonah [Food & Water Watch’s Executive Director] — and I’ve gotten the information I need to keep up the fight. We’re living through the most challenging time for our democracy. It’s vital that we continue to stand up and fight for our planet, our environ- ment, and all the creatures who occupy it. What gives you hope for the future? Knowing that our grassroots is so engaged! — and we stand shoulder to shoulder with our sisters and brothers in this fight.
Are you interested in making a gift of stock? Visit fwwat.ch/stock for details.
FOOD & WATER WATCH / ACTION — LIVABLE FUTURE NOW | 6
UPCOMING EVENTS
Join the fight against the Trump-Musk agenda! — And you could
Livable Future LIVE! is for YOU Our monthly virtual educational series features the latest environmental news and shares what you can do to protect our food, water, and climate — and it’s free to all Food & Water Watch members.
win a Food & Water Watch blanket
Text RESIST RAFFLE to 23321 or scan this QR Code
These events are important. I had no idea how polluting factory farms can be.
You’ll receive one Resistance Reminder text each week with quick ways to take action. for WEEKLY ACTION REMINDERS.
I needed to learn more about the issues — I did!
By opting in, you agree to receive recurring text messages from Food & Water Watch and Food & Water Action. Msg & data rates may apply. Text STOP at any time to unsubscribe. AS A THANK YOU for strengthening our move- ment, you’ll be entered into a raffle to win a Food & Water Watch blanket!
Great information that is not readily available elsewhere.
Protect What You Love Your gift will immediately go to work protecting our food, water, and planet. To donate, scan this QR code or visit fwaction.us/summer25LFN
Comments from members who have attended Livable Future LIVE events.
See what’s coming up and save your seat by visiting fwwat.ch/live
foodandwaterwatch.org Food & Water Watch is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that educates and advocates for safe food, clean water, and a livable climate. Gifts to Food & Water Watch are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Combined Federal Campaign #17460 foodandwateraction.org Food & Water Action is our affiliated 501(c)4 nonprofit that mobilizes people to win campaigns that builds political power. Gifts to Food & Water Action Fund are not tax deductible.
MISSION Our food, water, and climate are under constant assault by corporations who put profit over the survival of humanity. They have seized control of the very institutions that were built to protect us. We mobilize people to reclaim their political power, hold our elected officials accountable, and resist corporate control — ensuring we all have the essential resources we need to thrive. This is a fight we must win because this planet is the only one we get.
NATIONAL OFFICE 1616 P Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20036 T: (202) 683-2500 Toll-free: 855-340-8083
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease