The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is revoking all tolerances for the pesticide chlorpyrifos, effectively banning its use in food crops.
The new rule, which will take effect in six months, comes as EPA is reviewing the registration for the pesticide and soliciting public comments. Through that process, EPA will continue to review non-food uses of chlorpyrifos and said it “may consider additional measures to reduce human health and ecological risks.”
Farm Bureau criticized the decision to revoke all tolerances, saying the EPA should rely on sound science in its decision making.
“Farmers and ranchers care deeply about the quality of our crops—nothing is more important than producing safe, nutritious food,” American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall said. “So, we must be guided by the most reliable determinant of safety, which is science. This administration has repeatedly made commitments to abide by science, yet the EPA decision on chlorpyrifos strays from that commitment and takes away an important tool to manage pests and insects. We urge EPA officials not to make determinations on pesticides outside of the regular registration review process already underway. The integrity of the registration review process and commitment to using sound science must be prioritized in a decision of such far-reaching consequences.”