Missouri The unseen harvest: Pesticides, cancer and rural Missouri’s health crisis The counties with the highest use of pesticides per square mile are all located in Missouri's Bootheel. Many of these counties have some of the state's highest cancer rates and their health care options are dwindling. By Alex Cox, Adeleine Halsey, Kyla Pehr and Savvy Sleevar, for Investigate Midwest / 18 Aug 2025