EPA Releases New Insecticide Plan
John Walt Boatright
Director, Government Affairs
Chad Smith
Associate News Service Editor, NAFB
photo credit: AFBF Photo, Betty Resnick
John Walt Boatright
Director, Government Affairs
Chad Smith
Associate News Service Editor, NAFB
The Environmental Protection Agency released a new strategy for protecting endangered species from insecticides. Chad Smith has the story.
Smith: The Environmental Protection Agency released a draft of its plan to protect endangered species while still allowing farmers the flexibility to use insecticides to protect their crops. John Walt Boatright, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation, talks about the announcement.
Boatright: The administration has been developing an ESA work plan, which was mandated by court order for EPA to expedite their compliance with the Endangered Species Act in terms of pesticide registration. So, they have been releasing these strategies to comply with the Endangered Species Act by classes of pesticides.
Smith: Boatright says farmers and ranchers should keep an eye out for impacts to pesticides and pesticide application practices.
Boatright: It could impact farmers and ranchers as chemistries are being reviewed by EPA. They will pull from this strategy, this document, to potentially apply new mitigation measures to pesticide applications based on their chemistry. The good news is that we won't see these new requirements immediately.
Smith: Boatright says this is an ongoing process.
Boatright: The next step in the process is for those insecticides moving forward to have the strategy applied to them at the normal length of the process. Another next step to be watching is that we also expect a fungicide and a rodenticide strategy to be finalized.
Smith: Chad Smith, Washington.
What We're Saying
Farm Bureau Commends Move to Provide Clear WOTUS Guidelines
Mar 12, 2025
READ MORE 
Farm Bureau Comments on Proposed Monarch Butterfly Designation
Dec 10, 2024
READ MORE
AFBF Challenges EPA Emissions Rule Overreach for New Heavy-Duty Vehicles
Jun 18, 2024
READ MORE
AFBF Challenges EPA Overreach in Electric Vehicle Mandate
Jun 13, 2024
READ MORE
