National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Chip Bowling has expressed skepticism at the ecological risk assessment for the pesticide called atrazine that was released by the Environmental Protection Agency this month.
“Atrazine is a safe and effective crop management tool for farmers," Bowling said. "It is widely used because it is among the most reliable herbicides available, and it plays a critical role in combating the spread of resistant weeds.”
The NCGA emphasized the importance of the safety of
agricultural pesticides on the environment.
“Over the last 50 years, atrazine has passed some of the most rigorous safety testing in the world. More than 7,000 scientific studies have found atrazine to be safe," Bowling said. "It is particularly concerning that EPA has chosen to base the ecological risk assessment for atrazine on studies their own Science Advisory Panel deemed ‘flawed’ just four years ago. This undermines public confidence in the review process and goes against the mission of using the best available science."
A University of Chicago study conducted in 2012 concluded that farmers could lose an average of $59 per acre if they stopped using Atrazine. This cost would trickle down through the entire agricultural production chain. Bowling urged farmers to contact the EPA with their concerns.
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