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Last year, proposed regulations threatened to remove the
practical use of many of the most effective herbicides commonly
used in commercial agriculture, which farm officials said would
be disastrous for farmers.
As the U.S. Environment Protection Agency implements pesticide
label restrictions to protect endangered species, farming
officials say the restrictions are already limiting the
practical use of pesticides. Under the Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, the EPA must consider the
potential impact any given pesticide may have on endangered or
threatened species within the state where the chemical is
registered for use.
During an Illinois Soybean Growers webinar, Stanley Culpepper, a
professor in the Georgia College of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences, said it is important for farmers to do
their homework before applying pesticides and herbicides.
“Remember, the pesticide that you are applying on the field,
does it or does it not potentially harm the species,” said
Culpepper. “You have to understand where both of those are at
and if they overlap.”
Culpepper said farmers he comes across want to know why they
should endanger the sustainability of their farm.
“The very simplified answer is lawsuits,” said Culpepper. “When
our pesticides are taken to the court system, we’re simply
losing because we’re not following the requirements of the
endangered species act when registering and re-registering those
pesticides.”
Culpepper believes the restrictions will expand and impact every
U.S. farmer and their ability to manage pests effectively. He
adds that it is essential that Illinois farmers work with the
EPA and other related agencies to find common ground.
Illinois was the number one soybean producer in the U.S. last
year and the number two corn producer behind only Iowa.
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