Republicans on the House Agriculture Committee will grill U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson this week on how her agency's regulations are affecting the country's farms.

Jackson is slated to appear before the full House panel Thursday.

Tamara Hinton, a spokeswoman for the Republican-controlled committee, said the hearing will provide an opportunity to question Jackson about a host of agriculture regulations EPA is considering.

"All of the things we've been discussing over the last two years will be on the table," Hinton said.

That includes several regulations EPA is weighing, including controls on the amount of dust kicked up into the air on farms and tighter limits on pesticides and nutrient use.

Hinton said the committee will focus on broad questions.

"In light of these issues, it's kind of hinging on a few simple questions," she said. "Is EPA following the law? Are they making regulatory decisions based on sound science and data? Are they conducting adequate cost benefit analyses?"

EPA regulations have become a top target for farm state legislators recently. In February, House Republicans urged Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to represent their interests and push back against possible EPA regulations (E&E Daily, Feb. 18).

One pesticide that is likely to come up at the hearing is atrazine. EPA is currently evaluating the health effects of the commonly used herbicide. In 2009, EPA said it was focusing on whether atrazine causes cancer, as well as any effects it has on the human hormonal system. That review immediately drew criticism from agribusinesses, who claimed the review was politically motivated (Greenwire, Nov. 4, 2009).

The agency is also considering regulations on "spray drift," when pesticides stray from their targets.

Schedule: The hearing is Thursday, March 10, at 2 p.m. in 1300 Longworth.

Witness: Lisa Jackson, U.S. EPA administrator.