Corn Farmers Push Back on Pesticide Safety Claims
The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission recently released a report raising concerns about the safety of herbicides like glyphosate and atrazine, commonly used by Kansas farmers.
While the report acknowledged that abrupt changes in farming practices could negatively impact agriculture and food supply, it still included cautionary language about these herbicides.
“We expected the MAHA report to attack pesticides, particularly glyphosate and atrazine. Leaders of the MAHA movement continue to make unsubstantiated health claims against the herbicides which aren’t based on sound scientific evidence. Some of those unfounded opinions are in this report,” KCGA CEO Josh Roe said.
“Our association and its leaders have worked on these issues for years and continue to actively represent Kansas corn growers help regulators understand how crop protection tools are safely used in our fields and to ensure regulatory decisions are based on credible scientific evidence.”
KCGA and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) have long worked to educate policymakers and the public about the safe and sustainable use of crop protection tools.
Their efforts have helped shape the administration’s understanding of modern agriculture, but they emphasize that continued advocacy is essential.
KCGA also leads the Triazine Network, a coalition advocating for the responsible use of atrazine. Former KCGA CEO Greg Krissek co-chairs the group, and KCGA board member Brent Rogers recently testified before the EPA, contributing to the removal of flawed studies from regulatory consideration.
Board members Tanner McNinch and Brett Grauerholz serve on NCGA’s Production and Sustainability Action Team. Grauerholz also advises the EPA on pesticide runoff mitigation. Together with Roe, they’ve met with EPA officials to explain best practices used by farmers to minimize environmental impact.
“The great news is that I can push back. So many of the things they talk about, they don’t realize agriculture is doing, that we’re growing so much more with less because of precision agriculture," said Senator Roger Marshall, who leads the MAHA Caucus in the Senate.
"They have no idea what we’re doing when it comes to using less pesticides. . .. They’re acting like all of this is new, but these are things that we grew up doing. Kansas farmers and ranchers have been doing them for decades."