Jan. 15: The National Corn Growers Association and several other agricultural organizations sent a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson today, outlining their concerns on the potential ban of atrazine, a commonly used herbicide that is also the most studied compound on the market today.
“Our growers have actively participated in the process and supported the safety and scientific approval of atrazine by the EPA over the last 15 years and three White House administrations,” the joint letter states. “We strongly believe the scientific weight of evidence, based on EPA’s own analysis for decades, shows atrazine to be both safe and effective and that is the best kind of tool farmers can have.”
An EPA Scientific Advisory Panel will meet the week of February 2 to review human health effects from atrazine. The panel was convened in the wake of the Agency’s announcement of a comprehensive review of health and ecological risks associated with the commonly used herbicide atrazine.
“The benefits of atrazine use to agriculture are well documents and part of existing EPA record,” the letter states. “It should be noted that our farmers consider themselves the ultimate conservationists, for without the careful cultivation of their land, their own livelihoods are at risk.”
The letter is also in response to a letter sent to Jackson by the Land Stewardship Project and the Pesticide Action Network North America, requesting the agency prioritize independent research during the review process and ban the use of atrazine.
NCGA has previously emphasized the thousands of existing studies that have been considered over the past decade by EPA in supporting the registration and safe use of atrazine in the United States. NCGA has also expressed concern with the fact that the agency has not identified any new credible data to merit a new comprehensive review of the product.