EPA on Tuesday finalized a much-debated agricultural chemical use plan that could relax the buffer distances required for pesticide applications and helps farmers receive more credit for being part of a conservation program.
Sprawling over 141 pages, the Trump administration’s final plan includes some farmer-friendly changes from the draft issued last July during the Biden administration.
The document lays out guidance for EPA for registering a new insecticide or reevaluating an existing one. It sets out guidelines for protecting more than 900 threatened and endangered species from the chemicals that farmers rely on.
“Today’s action is another example of how protecting our environment and safeguarding our economy can go hand in hand,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in a statement, adding that “we have found commonsense ways to keep endangered species safe that won’t place unneeded burden on the growers who rely on these tools for their livelihood.”
