IARN — Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig this week submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency regarding the proposed restrictions on atrazine.
One of the most widely used herbicides in corn production, the proposed revisions by EPA would severely limit the use of atrazine. Secretary Naig tells the EPA that further restricting the use of atrazine will negatively impact pest resistance management and conservation efforts. In his comments, Naig says, “The EPA proposed picklist approach to managing atrazine is complicated, costly, and not feasible for Iowa farmers, landowners, and pesticide applicators.” Further, he urges the EPA to listen to feedback from farmers and “adopt atrazine use requirements that are based on the best available science.”
In October 2020, EPA received a petition alleging that the Agency violated its duties under The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act by issuing the atrazine reregistration without substantial evidence supporting the decision. The comment period on the proposal ends Friday.
Story courtesy of the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig takes part in an Iowa Farmers Union web forum in February 2021.
