Iowa Governor Race: Lahn’s Anti-Big Ag Stance Clashes with Running Mate

Candidate Zach Lahn Targets Big Agriculture in Iowa Governor’s Race

Republican Zach Lahn has launched his campaign for Iowa governor with a clear stance against large agricultural corporations, particularly criticizing their use of harmful chemicals and pesticides. However, his choice for a running mate may present a contrasting perspective.

On June 12, Lahn announced state Rep. Derek Wulf as his partner for lieutenant governor via X, expressing pride in Wulf’s commitment to supporting Iowans.

Wulf, who has represented areas of Black Hawk, Benton, and Tama counties since 2023, has a legislative history that includes backing chemical producers. His past also includes attending a White House event that promoted increased pesticide use.

Before his political career, Wulf was employed by the agricultural behemoth Cargill.

A notable connection for Wulf is with Bayer, a company widely recognized for its pharmaceuticals but also heavily invested in pesticides and seeds. Bayer divisions contributed $1,000 to Wulf’s campaign in both 2024 and 2025, a substantial sum for a district with a population under 32,000.

In 2024, the Modern Ag Alliance, an advocacy group for agriculture representing Bayer, placed an advertisement in the Des Moines Register commending Wulf and other lawmakers for supporting a bill that would provide immunity to companies from glyphosate-related lawsuits. Glyphosate, the key component in Roundup, has been linked to health issues, including cancer.

The legislation ultimately failed, and Lahn has committed to vetoing any similar measures if he takes office. Critics highlight that glyphosate can drift to neighboring areas like homes and schools, posing risks to those nearby without their consent.

Journalist Laura Belin reported that Wulf was seen backstage at a Luke Bryan concert during the same month the Modern Ag Alliance ad was published, with Bayer as a corporate sponsor of the tour.

Lahn’s campaign disputes claims that Wulf endorsed the glyphosate bill, despite assertions from the Modern Ag Alliance. As the bill was not voted on in the House, Wulf’s official position remains unrecorded.

Wulf has cast votes favoring agricultural interests. In 2023, he backed a budget that removed state funding for water quality sensors in Iowa waterways, clashing with Lahn’s focus on reducing pollution by agricultural entities.

Earlier this year, Wulf voted to increase the criteria for classifying waterways as impaired, reducing the prospect of rehabilitation efforts.

Moreover, Wulf authored legislation that shields agricultural companies from lawsuits concerning greenhouse gas emissions, framing it as a “pro-agricultural” measure.

In June, Wulf attended a White House event where President Donald Trump signed an executive order facilitating the approval of new pesticide ingredients, including chlormequat and bifenthrin, chemicals linked to fertility issues and hormone disruption.

Lahn’s alignment with the Make American Healthy Again (MAHA) movement could be strained by Wulf’s legislative record.

In the upcoming general election, Lahn will compete against Iowa Auditor Rob Sand, who similarly prioritizes addressing the state’s cancer crisis in his campaign.