Federal regulators signaled plans to approve new dicamba-based herbicides for genetically engineered cotton and soybeans, reigniting debates over farm chemical drift and environmental safety.
Carey Gillam reports for The New Lede.
In short:
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said benefits outweigh risks in allowing Bayer, Syngenta and BASF to sell dicamba products, citing billions in cotton and soybean value.
- Environmental and farm advocacy groups warned that dicamba’s tendency to drift has already damaged millions of acres and twice prompted federal court bans.
- Critics linked the decision to industry influence, noting the recent appointment of a former soybean lobbyist to a key EPA pesticide post.
Key quote:
“Trump’s EPA is hitting new heights of absurdity by planning to greenlight a pesticide that’s caused the most extensive drift damage in US agricultural history and twice been thrown out by federal courts.”
— Nathan Donley, environmental health science director at the Center for Biological Diversity
Why this matters:
Dicamba is known for drifting off target and harming nearby crops, trees and native plants, especially in hot weather. As more weeds become resistant to older herbicides, farmers have turned to dicamba-tolerant crops, escalating its use and the scale of damage. The chemical’s volatility has sparked years of lawsuits and deep divides in farm communities, pitting neighbors against each other. Scientists also warn about risks to wildlife habitats and pollinator health, raising questions about long-term ecosystem effects. The decision reflects a broader rollback of U.S. pesticide regulations, potentially reshaping how toxic chemicals are evaluated and approved for large-scale agriculture at a time of growing concern over food system sustainability.
Related: EPA proposes bringing dicamba herbicide back to farms after court bans
