The Iowa Cow War of 1931 was a significant clash between farmers and public health officials during a time of economic hardship. In response to the Iowa General Assembly’s 1929 law mandating bovine tuberculosis testing, farmers protested what they saw as an infringement of their property and economic rights. However, Governor Dan Turner, who prioritized public health and the state’s agricultural reputation, continued testing under National Guard protection. This rebalanced the scales of justice in favor of government responsibility for public health over individual rights, which influenced agricultural health policies from that point forward.

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