EPA Scheme Banning Common Insecticide Hits Food Supply Chain Hard

The Biden administration's recent actions against a common pesticide have led to fierce criticisms from Republicans on Capitol Hill.

Prominent GOP members of Congress expressed their concerns as America's farmers continue to deal with the fallout from one of the administration's latest rulings. (RELATED: Local Officials Shut Down Public Comments on Scheme to Control Farmland)

Republicans have explicitly expressed concerns about the EPA's lack of transparency throughout this process:

Republican leaders, led by House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.), House Committee on Agriculture Ranking Member Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.), and House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), wrote Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan to again express concern about the agency's rule banning the use of chlorpyrifos on food. The lawmakers emphasized the Biden administration's ban on this common insecticide does not follow science and will negatively impact American consumers and the food supply chain.

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“As the Republican Leaders of Committees charged with ensuring that EPA's policy decisions are conducted in a transparent manner and rely on sound science, we believe that your actions on chlorpyrifos have failed these goals. We strongly encourage EPA to take immediate action to rectify these shortcomings,” wrote the Republican lawmakers. “EPA's response to congressional oversight requests reinforce our concerns that EPA has failed to follow the robust body of scientific evidence on chlorpyrifos and is instead allowing activist litigation to drive regulatory decisions without affording the agricultural community an opportunity to voice concerns about the impacts of these actions.”

In order to ensure due process for American agricultural stakeholders and to ensure EPA rulemakings are based on thorough scientific analysis, the Republican lawmakers urge EPA to expeditiously grant the requests from multiple grower groups for a public hearing to bring transparency to the rule making process. The Republican lawmakers also request EPA rescind its final rule revoking the use of chlorpyrifos on food and renew their previous request for all documents and communications related to the rule.

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“This rule will affect numerous subsets of the U.S. agricultural industry, including retailers, applicators, manufacturers, processors, cooperatives, and crop consultants, and potentially negatively impact an already struggling U.S. food supply chain. In light of the unusual nature of this rulemaking process and the previous lack of opportunity for all stakeholders to comment on the final rule prior to its publication, it is critical that EPA take the appropriate next steps to address feedback and thoroughly consider the available scientific evidence,” continued the Republican lawmakers.

The letter was also signed by Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research Subcommittee Ranking Member Jim Baird (R-Ind.), and Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.).

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