Shawn Ryan Show
Shawn Ryan Show
March 23, 2026

Zach Lahn - Exposing the Monsanto Files | SRS #290

Quick Read

A gubernatorial candidate exposes how corporate agriculture, enabled by political capture, is systematically destroying family farms, poisoning communities with chemicals like glyphosate and paraquat, and eroding state sovereignty for profit.
Corporate agriculture has captured federal agencies and politicians, prioritizing profits over farmer welfare and public health.
Glyphosate-based herbicides (like Roundup) are significantly more toxic than pure glyphosate, a fact obscured by industry lobbying and inadequate EPA testing.
Iowa, a prime agricultural state, faces rampant water contamination, the highest cancer rates, and a rapid decline in family farms due to these practices.

Summary

Zach Lahn, a regenerative farmer and Iowa gubernatorial candidate, argues that the American agricultural system is under attack by powerful, monopolistic corporations that have captured regulatory agencies and politicians. He details how these companies, including Chinese-owned Syngenta, lobby extensively to maintain policies that exploit farmers, raise input costs, and promote the use of highly toxic chemicals like glyphosate and paraquat, despite knowing their dangers. Lahn highlights the alarming decline of family farms, the aging farmer population, widespread water contamination, and Iowa's leading cancer rates as direct consequences. He criticizes the federal government as 'beyond repair' and advocates for state-level action, including suing the federal government and prioritizing 'Iowa First' policies to protect local businesses, public health, and the state's cultural heritage from corporate influence.
This discussion reveals the systemic corruption and corporate influence undermining critical sectors like agriculture and public health. It exposes how regulatory capture allows harmful products to proliferate, leading to severe health crises (like escalating cancer rates) and the economic destruction of rural communities. The insights underscore the urgent need for local and state-level resistance against powerful lobbies to safeguard food security, environmental integrity, and democratic accountability, offering a template for other states facing similar challenges.

Takeaways

  • The average US farmer is 58.1 years old, with only 9% of producers under 35, indicating a severe generational crisis in farming.
  • Agribusiness lobbies spent $1.5 billion in Washington D.C. over the past decade, while the top five companies made $150 billion in profit, and 100,000 family farms were lost.
  • 25% of Iowa's farmland is owned by out-of-state investors, driving up land prices and making it impossible for young farmers to enter the market.
  • Only 0.03% of Iowa's 24 million acres are used to produce food that ends up on a plate in its original form; the rest is for ethanol or animal feed, leading Iowa to import 95% of its food.
  • The FTC sued John Deere in 2025 over repair restrictions, highlighting farmers' lack of control over their own equipment.
  • Bayer, a major glyphosate producer, has two lobbyists per member of Congress, spending more on lobbying per member than their annual salary to push for immunity from liability.
  • The formulation of Roundup used in the US is banned in the EU due to its toxicity, while a 20x less toxic version is used there, a fact Monsanto knew internally.
  • Iowa has the fastest rate of new cancer in the history of civilization, directly correlating with its high concentration of glyphosate use.
  • Paraquat, an herbicide banned in 50 countries (including China, which owns its producer Syngenta), is still legal in the US and used to induce Parkinson's in rats.
  • The city of Cedar Rapids gave Google and QTS data centers $529 million in tax rebates for creating only 30 jobs, equating to $17 million per job.
  • Iowa's Des Moines has the world's largest nitrate removal system for its water supply, which often cannot keep up with agricultural runoff, leading to swimming bans in lakes and mandatory reverse osmosis systems in new homes.
  • The suicide rate among Iowa farmers increased by 50% over the past 20 years, while 10,000 family farms were lost.

Insights

1Corporate Monopolies Drive Farmer Decline and Rural Decay

Agribusiness giants have consolidated power, leading to a drastic reduction in competition (from 300+ companies to 3 controlling 85% of the input market). These monopolies extort farmers by raising input prices while commodity prices remain stagnant or drop, resulting in razor-thin margins and a 70% increase in farm bankruptcies in Iowa last year. This economic pressure contributes to the loss of 100,000 family farms nationally and the aging farmer population, devastating rural communities and their cultural heritage.

Agribusiness spent $1.5 billion lobbying in DC over 10 years, while making $150 billion in profit. 100,000 family farms lost nationally. FTC sued John Deere over repair restrictions. 25% of Iowa farmland owned by out-of-state investors. Farm bankruptcies increased 70% in Iowa last year. 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2Glyphosate and Paraquat: Hidden Dangers and Regulatory Failure

Glyphosate-based herbicides (like Roundup) are 20-50 times more toxic than pure glyphosate due to 'surfactants' that help them penetrate plants (and human skin). Monsanto knew this, reformulating for Europe with a safer version but continuing to sell the more toxic one in the US. The EPA only requires testing on pure glyphosate, obscuring the true risks. Paraquat, a highly poisonous herbicide banned in 50 countries and by its Chinese owner (Syngenta), is still legal in the US and used to induce Parkinson's in lab animals, yet requires only a 30-60 minute online class to apply. These chemicals contribute to Iowa's highest cancer rates and widespread water contamination.

EU banned US Roundup formulation due to toxicity (). Monsanto reformulated for EU, email asked 'Why make harmful product when we can make safer one?' (). Glyphosate-based herbicides are 50x more toxic than pure glyphosate (). EPA doesn't require testing on formulated herbicides (). Paraquat is used to induce Parkinson's in rats, banned in 50 countries including China (, ). Iowa has highest cancer rates, correlating with highest glyphosate concentration ().

3Political Capture and Immunity for Harmful Products

Lobbyists exert immense influence, drafting legislation and securing immunity for corporations. Bayer spends more on lobbying per Congress member than their salary to avoid liability for glyphosate. The 2025 executive order invoking the Defense Production Act to boost glyphosate production, endorsed by RFK Jr., effectively grants Bayer immunity, shifting liability to taxpayers. This mirrors the 1986 vaccine immunity act, which Lahn argues caused immense suffering. Politicians, regardless of party, are criticized for ignoring public health crises and prioritizing corporate interests, often due to financial incentives and a lack of accountability.

Bayer has two lobbyists per member of Congress, spending more than their salary (, ). Executive Order in 2025 invoked Defense Production Act for glyphosate, granting immunity to Bayer (). RFK Jr. endorsed the order (). The 1986 vaccine immunity act cited as a precedent for suffering (, ). Lahn's tweet opposing the order (). Politicians ignore farmer suicide rates and cancer rates (, ).

4Iowa's Food and Water Crisis: A National Security Threat

Iowa, with the world's best farmland, imports 95% of its food, dedicating only 0.03% of its acreage to direct food production. The extensive use of nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides, combined with modern 'pattern tiling' drainage systems, contaminates waterways. Des Moines operates the world's largest nitrate removal system, which frequently fails to keep up, leading to public health advisories and unswimmable lakes. This insecure food base and widespread environmental degradation are framed as a direct threat to national sovereignty and public health, with 618,000 cancer deaths in the US in 2025 alone.

Iowa imports 95% of its food (). Only 0.03% of Iowa's acres produce food in its original form (). Des Moines has the world's largest nitrate removal system, often failing (, , ). Pattern tiling drains chemicals directly into streams (). Raccoon River is one of the most polluted tributaries (). 618,000 people died of cancer in the US in 2025 ().

5Misguided Economic Incentives and Foreign Influence

State and local governments provide massive tax breaks to multinational corporations, even foreign-owned ones, while local businesses and communities struggle. For example, the Chinese-owned Syngenta received $7.5 million in refundable tax credits from Iowa. Google and QTS received $529 million in tax rebates from Cedar Rapids for only 30 jobs ($17 million per job). This 'economic thinking' prioritizes shareholder value over community values, exacerbating wealth extraction and undermining local economies.

Syngenta, 100% owned by China, received $7.5 million in refundable tax credits from Iowa (). Google and QTS received $529 million in tax rebates for 30 jobs ($17 million/job) in Cedar Rapids (, ). Lahn advocates 'community values over shareholder value' (, ).

Bottom Line

The federal government is 'beyond repair' and states must actively sue and resist federal overreach to protect their citizens and sovereignty.

So What?

This suggests a fundamental shift in political strategy, moving from attempting to reform federal institutions to empowering states as the primary bulwark against corporate and federal corruption. It implies a 'states' rights' approach as a survival mechanism.

Impact

For state-level politicians, this creates an opportunity to gain public trust by openly challenging federal policies and corporate power, focusing on local issues like clean water, food security, and supporting family farms without federal entanglement.

The 'Monsanto Files' (internal documents) reveal that corporations knowingly sell more toxic versions of products in the US while using safer alternatives in other markets (e.g., EU).

So What?

This is direct evidence of corporate malfeasance and a disregard for American public health, undermining public trust in both corporations and regulatory bodies. It highlights a double standard in product safety based on market regulations.

Impact

Legal and advocacy groups can leverage these internal documents to strengthen lawsuits, push for stricter regulations, and raise public awareness, potentially leading to widespread consumer boycotts and legislative changes.

Opportunities

Local, Regenerative Food Hubs & Supply Chains

Develop and invest in local food systems that connect regenerative farmers directly with consumers and institutions (like schools). This would reduce reliance on imported food, ensure safer produce, and keep wealth within the state. Focus on infrastructure for processing, distribution, and direct-to-consumer sales.

Source: Guest's advocacy for local food and regenerative farming, and the statistic that Iowa imports 95% of its food.

Bioremediation Solutions for Agricultural Contamination

Invest in and commercialize natural biological solutions (e.g., lactobacillus bacteria) to break down glyphosate and nitrates in soil and water. This addresses the widespread contamination issue directly, offering a sustainable alternative to current ineffective removal methods.

Source: Guest mentions lactobacillus bacteria breaking down glyphosate and the need for better products to reach the market.

Independent Agricultural Technology and Seed Development

Support independent seed makers and agricultural tech companies that develop non-GMO, open-source, or generic seed varieties and farming equipment. This would break the monopoly of large corporations, reduce farmer input costs, and promote innovation without patent restrictions or 'right to repair' issues.

Source: Discussion of John Deere's repair restrictions, seed genetic monopolies, and scrambling of seed names to prevent independent use.

Key Concepts

Institutional Capture

This model describes how regulatory agencies, meant to protect public interest, become dominated by the industries they are supposed to regulate. The podcast illustrates this with the EPA's lax testing requirements for glyphosate-based herbicides, the industry's ability to change allowable tolerance levels for chemicals in food, and extensive lobbying efforts by agribusiness.

Economic Nationalism (State-Level)

This concept emphasizes prioritizing the economic and cultural well-being of a specific region (in this case, Iowa) over globalist or purely market-driven interests. Lahn advocates for 'Iowa First' policies, directing state funds to local entrepreneurs, protecting farmland from foreign ownership, and challenging multinational corporations that extract wealth without benefiting the community.

Lessons

  • Support politicians who refuse corporate lobby money and prioritize local community welfare over shareholder value, especially at the state level.
  • Actively research the source and chemical composition of your food, prioritizing organic, locally sourced, and regeneratively farmed products to reduce exposure to harmful pesticides.
  • Advocate for state-level legislation that challenges corporate monopolies in agriculture, restricts the use of harmful chemicals, and protects farmland from foreign or speculative investment.

State-Level Resistance Against Corporate Capture

1

**Challenge Federal Authority:** As governor, sue the federal government whenever its regulations or executive orders harm state citizens or undermine state sovereignty, leveraging legal precedents like the overturning of the Chevron doctrine.

2

**Prioritize 'State First' Economic Policy:** Redirect state tax incentives and subsidies exclusively to homegrown businesses and entrepreneurs, eliminating support for multinational or foreign-owned corporations that extract wealth without genuine community benefit.

3

**Enforce Strict Environmental and Health Regulations:** Implement state-specific bans or severe restrictions on highly toxic agricultural chemicals (e.g., paraquat, specific glyphosate formulations) and mandate comprehensive testing, regardless of federal standards, to protect public health and water quality.

Notable Moments

Zach Lahn's personal story of buying back his family's ancestral Iowa farm, which had been sold in 2005, and restoring it board by board using old family photos.

This deeply personal narrative grounds his political motivation, illustrating his commitment to preserving Iowa's heritage and fighting against the forces that lead to the loss of family farms and rural identity. It provides a powerful emotional anchor for his campaign.

An elected official in Washington D.C. warned Lahn, 'If you say these things on the campaign trail, they will effing kill you,' after Lahn discussed Iowa's cancer rates and corporate agriculture.

This chilling anecdote underscores the immense power and ruthlessness of the corporate lobbies Lahn is challenging. It highlights the personal risk involved in speaking truth to power and reinforces the severity of the institutional capture he describes.

Quotes

"

"If you actually look at the past 10 years and what the aggraus lobby has spent in Washington DC, it's about a $1.5 billion dollars in the past 10 years lobbying Congress. The top five companies during that same time have made about $150 billion in profit. In the same time, we've lost a h 100,000 family farms. So who are they lobbying for? It's not the farmer."

Zach Lahn
"

"In my state of Iowa, 003% of our acres are used to to produce anything that will end up on your plate in its original form."

Zach Lahn
"

"When the EU was saying this formulation that you use in the United States, we are not going to allow you to use... the email went out that said, 'Why would we continue to make a harmful product when we can make a safer one?' And they didn't change a thing."

Zach Lahn
"

"My bigger fear about this is that what we've just done is we have offloaded liability onto the taxpayer."

Zach Lahn
"

"If your kids are leaving and your people are dying, you're not winning."

Zach Lahn

Q&A

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