NCGA Applauds EPA Decision on Chlorpyrifos

The National Corn Growers Association today applauded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for dismissing a petition related to the crop protection tool chlorpyrifos.

“We are pleased with the EPA’s decision today to deny a petition against chlorpyrifos and return to the standard pesticides review process as called for under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA),” said NCGA President Wesley Spurlock. “The overwhelming scientific consensus is that chlorpyrifos is safe for use by farmers, and we are confident that the pesticide review process will reaffirm this.”

In 2015, the Obama administration proposed banning chlorpyrifos, but the decision had not been finalized. Last August, a federal court ordered the EPA to decide by March 31 whether to ban the pesticide. NCGA and its farmer-members have submitted numerous comments to the EPA about this issue.

“NCGA supports transparent, science-based oversight of pesticides. We are encouraged by the EPA’s decision because it signals a return to these standards and procedures,” said Spurlock.

“Effective pest management requires access to a variety of treatments, including chlorpyrifos. If we become too reliant on a single tool, it can start to lose its effectiveness, and that’s how resistance develops. Farmers need access to many crop protection tools to ensure all tools can remain effective.”