3 Charts to Better Understand the Potential Link Between Pesticides and Cancer

A majority of the top pesticide-using counties in the U.S. have cancer rates above the national average.

For years, pesticide users have claimed agrichemicals have caused cancer, along with other health complications. Courts have agreed, ruling against pesticide manufacturers multiple times.

Several scientific studies have also found links between cancer and pesticides, which can drift through the air or run off into nearby rivers and streams.

While investigating this potential link, Investigate Midwest, as part of a reporting partnership with the Pulitzer Center’s StoryReach U.S. Fellowship, analyzed data on the top 500 U.S. counties by per-square-mile pesticide use. More than 60% of those counties also had cancer rates higher than the national average.