A comprehensive national study has found strong associations between agricultural pesticide use and higher rates of several cancers. The study is one of the first of its kind to provide a more holistic understanding of the impact of pesticide exposure on cancer incidence. The authors even compared the impacts of this pesticide exposure to that of smoking, falling in line with a growing body of research on the dangers of prolonged exposure to agrichemicals. The cancers researchers identified as having a significant link with pesticide use included leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, bladder cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, and pancreatic cancer. It’s clear that agricultural pesticide exposure should be considered as a community health risk and factor driving cancer burden in the United States. 

The study analyzed county-wide agricultural pesticide data along with cancer incidence and confounding factors such as socioeconomic status, total population, smoking prevalence, and agricultural land use. Scientists modeled patterns of pesticide use for nearly 70 nationally monitored chemicals against cancer incidence rates. Even after accounting for confounding factors such as socioeconomic disparities, they estimated, after comparing areas with the highest and lowest pesticide use, that upwards of 150,000 additional cancer cases occur annually in higher-risk regions.

These findings suggest the need to reassess pesticide safety and regulation, particularly in parts of the country that have heavy agricultural use. In contrast, organic agriculture represents a unique opportunity to protect public health. Since organic practices prohibit the use of toxic synthetic pesticides and emphasize integrated pest management strategies, when producers and consumers choose organic, they reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals and associated diseases. The research continues to demonstrate the role organic agriculture can, and perhaps should, play in supporting public health while creating a safer and more resilient food system for all.