U.S. EPA extends atrazine comment period

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) extended until Oct. 7 the comment period on its proposal to strictly limit the use of atrazine.

More than 1,300 Illinois Farm Bureau FB ACT members have already filed comments telling EPA to not implement the changes, after IFB first issued an action request Aug. 4.

It is in response to EPA this June introducing suggested label restrictions for atrazine, a key component in over 90 herbicide mixtures that for decades has been applied to control broadleaf and grassy weeds and aids in sustainable farming practices like no-till.

The agency’s proposal is aimed at addressing the herbicide’s impact on aquatic plants and includes lowering the acceptable level of atrazine from 15 parts per billion (ppb) to 3.4 ppb.

FB ACT members alerted by a text message or an email notification can complete the action request by clicking the link in the text message or the ″TAKE ACTION″ button in the email.

Members who did not receive the notification but want to join the call to action should text ATRAZINE to 52886.

The action request is live until further notice.