USA - Kansas Governor urges EPA to rethink proposed change to atrazine requirements

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has urged the U.S. EPA to rethink its proposed change to atrazine requirements for farmers.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly says on Tuesday, Sept. 13, she sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency about its recently proposed change to the usage and label requirements of atrazine - an herbicide that helps farmers control weeds that can choke out crops.

″I’m standing with Kansas farmers in urging the EPA to reject overly burdensome regulations that jeopardize our ag industry’s ability to feed families, provide jobs, and produce record-setting agricultural exports,″ Gov. Kelly said. ″These new requirements don’t improve safety – but they could limit crop yields and drive up prices at a time when we should be doing everything we can to fight inflation.″

Kelly noted that atrazine has been an important tool for farmers of many of Kansas’ valuable agricultural products since it was first registered as an herbicide more than 60 years ago. She said about 7,000 scientific studies have found the herbicide is safe to use.

″Today’s food producers need crop protection tools that are effective and environmentally sound,″ Agriculture Secretary Mike Beam said. ″The use of atrazine to control weeds allows the crop plant to maximize yield potential, optimizing the overall production efficiency and a decreased need for water and fertilizers. The potential adoption of a proposed level of concern far below the current level would significantly impair the effective use of atrazine on Kansas farms.″

Kansas farmers who would like to provide their own comments to the EPA about the modification can do so by clicking HERE.

To read a full copy of the letter, click HERE.