Zach Lahn on data center pusback, big ag meetings, cancer accountability

Businessman Zach Lahn surprised the state of Iowa getting the GOP nomination for Governor but before Iowans can vote for him, they have questions about the permanency of his data center “moratorium,” what was discussed in his meetings with big ag he mentioned on Iowa Press and if he will take a hard stance against them if elected.

Lahn is also asked about if he aligns more with the Democrat running for Secretary of Agriculture, and is asked if the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a captured entity, as he has claimed, will he make an Iowa-focused version of the EPA with individual labeling requirements like California?

Zach Lahn on specific issues

• Supports a statewide pause/moratorium on new data centers until proper rules, local negotiations, water protections, power-rate safeguards, and fair-share payments are in place.
• Will bring antitrust suits to break up consolidated Big Ag companies (inputs, nitrogen, meatpacking).
• Will encourage direct state resources and stackable incentives (via IEDA and related programs) so farmers can profit by adopting practices that cut nitrate runoff into waterways.
• Makes the case for, and supports a ban on paraquat.
• Will require/expand independent Iowa state research and testing of agricultural product safety (beyond relying on EPA/company data). Essentially an “Iowa EPA.”
• Pushes for legalization of on-farm butchering and direct-to-neighbor meat sales.
• Wants to create a new “investment ag land” property class with higher tax rates on out-of-state/investor-owned farmland, while preserving exemptions for resident Iowa farmers.
• Will redirect economic incentives to prioritize Iowa-headquartered, multi-generation companies over branches of out-of-state firms (and condition incentives on moving HQs to Iowa).
• Work toward a goal of at least 80% of public-school food being grown in Iowa.

Lahn on Data Center Moratorium

Lahn is pressing for local pauses on data center developments to protect taxpayers and infrastructure. Citing a Brookings Institution study where a Virginia data center drove up consumer power rates by 32 percent, Lahn warned against rushing into unscrutinized deals. He highlighted a project south of Cedar Rapids that secured $529 million in property tax abatements while requiring just 30 long-term jobs. Lahn insists counties need comprehensive zoning plans before approving facilities. “It is incumbent upon us to negotiate properly, but we have to make sure we’re protecting water quality, we’re not having increase in power rates, that, uh, we understand the proper land usage,” Lahn stated.

Tackling Water Quality and Agribusiness

Lahn linked Iowa’s elevated colorectal cancer rates to high nitrate levels in waterways, calling for targeted state incentives to help farmers reduce agricultural runoff. Pointing out health risks from chemicals like paraquat—which Syngenta is phasing out globally following thousands of Parkinson’s-related lawsuits—Lahn reaffirmed his support for state-backed safety research and antitrust suits against consolidated agribusiness conglomerates. “We have to clean up our water. We just have to,” Lahn emphasized. To diversify farm income, he advocated for ag-tech innovation, expanding direct-to-consumer meat sales, and mandating that 80 percent of food served in public schools be grown locally.

Reforming Property Taxes and Food Systems

With roughly a quarter of Iowa farmland owned by out-of-state investors, Lahn proposed establishing an “investment ag land” property class to levy higher tax rates on out-of-state funds while protecting local farm families through targeted exemptions. He argued that decentralizing food production offers far greater community safety and market accountability than relying on multinational corporations. “The solution to a lot of these problems that they’re talking about is decentralization, is local control, is local food systems and food sovereignty within local communities,” Lahn said.