EPA
GRAPHIC: New EPA data shows fewer staff overseeing more pesticide registrations
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Since 2005, the number of pesticide registrations has more than doubled, while the number of employees has dropped by a quarter.
Agribusiness
‘A pretty big sea change’: EPA says it will consider endangered species when approving new pesticides — without the threat of lawsuits
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Under the new approach, the EPA recently banned certain pesticides in more than a 100 U.S. counties.
Opinion
Opinion: Saving bumblebees in the U.S. is a slough
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For those too busy to keep track of what's been happening to bees in general, and the American Bumblebee in particular, the little critters are being absolutely obliterated by Big Ag pesticides from companies including Bayer AG and Syngenta. And that's a big deal because bees pollinate a bunch of fruits and vegetables in your local grocery.
Opinion
Opinion: American Farm Bureau Federation wrong to continue to advocate for chlorpyrifos
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If actions speak to the truth, the American Farm Bureau Federation cares more about cherries than children's health. In what is a truly shake-the-head, sad moment, the AFBF last month filed a petition with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency saying the Fed’s final ruling banning the pesticide chlorpyrifos was bungled — and should be reversed. This, despite the fact that courts essentially settled the issue.
Opinion
Opinion: EPA takes another bite on dicamba…will anything change?
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Dave Dickey gives his take on the EPA and dicamba and what could happen next.
Climate Change
Fertilizer washes off Midwest farm fields and taints communities’ drinking water, poisons Gulf of Mexico
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As rainfall events become more intense and frequent, fertilizers applied to Midwestern farmland wash away, contaminating waterways near and far.
Graphic of the Week
GRAPHIC: Which region’s growing season has increased the most?
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Since 1895, the U.S.'s growing season has increased by about two weeks, according to EPA data.
Government
Seresto flea collar adverse incidents climb after company submits 11,000 more reports to EPA
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The maker of a popular flea and tick collar did not report thousands of adverse incidents to federal authorities as required until after an investigation by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting (Investigate Midwest) and USA TODAY was published.
Dicamba on Trial
EPA asks Bayer, BASF for more information on 2021 dicamba damage
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The federal agency said it is “extremely concerned” about damage in 2021, just one year after dicamba was re-registered for five years. The letters sent to chemical companies also alleged they have not shared all relevant information with the agency.
Agribusiness
EPA and Bayer had close contact in 2020 reinstatement of dicamba
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In summer 2020, a federal court ruled the EPA showed too much deference to Bayer when it approved the company’s dicamba herbicide. This invalidated the approval. But, weeks later, Bayer began working the EPA again, according to newly obtained emails.