Prairie Dog

From the November 2024 edition of The Prairie Progressive, Iowa’s oldest progressive newsletter. The PP is  funded entirely by reader subscription, available in hard copy for $15/yr.  Send check to PP, Box 1945, Iowa City 52244. Click here for archived issues.

by Jesse Case

In the heart of America’s farmland, a few powerful corporations dominate the market for one of our most essential crops—corn. This “Corn Cartel,” consisting of companies like Cargill, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Tate and Lyle and Ingredion, controls everything from prices to labor conditions and environmental impact. It’s time to address the
consequences of this concentrated power and demand a fairer approach.

Corn is critical to our agricultural system, feeding livestock, fueling cars, and appearing in countless processed foods. Yet, the corn market is far from competitive. These agribusiness giants control the supply chain, setting prices that leave farmers with little choice but to comply. As a result, farmers and workers in these plants bear the brunt of fluctuating prices while corporate profits remain steady.

The environmental impact is equally concerning. Industrial corn farming is a major contributor to water pollution due to heavy fertilizer and pesticide use. Chemical runoff
contaminates waterways, fueling toxic algae blooms and creating “dead zones” like the one in the Gulf of Mexico. Locally, communities experience polluted lakes and streams, depriving children of the outdoor experiences many of us once took for granted. Meanwhile, corporations continue polluting with minimal accountability.

The issue hits close to home in Iowa. In Cedar Rapids, Cargill’s 2019 expansion in the Rompot neighborhood, approved by the City Council, prioritized supply chain stability over community health. The land was sold to Cargill for just $3,000 per acre, while
similar properties were valued at up to $30,000 per acre. Meanwhile, neighborhoods near these plants face lower life expectancy and higher pollution levels. We are paying the price for Cargill’s expansion—literally and figuratively.

Cargill, Ingredion, and ADM are also some of the largest contributors to carbon emissions locally. Policymakers and elected officials have often cited the “good-paying Union jobs” as being essential to our local economy and a big reason to keep these industries in business.
However, the failure of Cargill to provide a reasonable contract to its workers and the resulting strike, as well as that of the Ingredion strike only two years ago in 2022 suggests
that maybe good Union jobs are no longer a priority for these companies.

The Corn Cartel’s influence extends into the political sphere, too. These companies spend millions lobbying for policies that entrench their dominance, resulting in billions of dollars in federal subsidies that prioritize large-scale monoculture farming over sustainable practices. Small farmers and communities pay the price for a system that prioritizes
corporate profits over the true costs of industrial agriculture.

So, what can be done to counter the Corn Cartel’s outsized power? We must make labor practices and water quality a priority in agricultural policy, with stricter regulations on fertilizer use and investment in sustainable practices like cover cropping. Additionally, we need to protect workers’ rights, ensuring they have fair wages and the freedom to
advocate for better conditions.

It’s time to break up the Corn Cartel’s grip on our food system, for the sake of our farmers, workers, and environment. By challenging these powerful corporations, we can build
a more resilient, just food system that prioritizes people and the planet over profits. Our future—and the rights and well-being of our communities—depend on it.

—Jesse Case is Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 238. To donate to the strike fund to support Cargill workers and future strikes, send checks to: Local 238 Strike Fund, 5000 J Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404.