3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 19
A federal wildlife review made public this week found atrazine would not jeopardize threatened or endangered species, effectively preserving use of one of U.S. agriculture’s most common herbicides.
The Fish and Wildlife Service said minor generic changes were enough to protect species, reversing course from a 2021 EPA finding that atrazine was likely to harm more than 1,000 protected species.
Farmers use about 72 million pounds of atrazine annually on 75 million acres—mainly corn, sorghum and sugar cane—and farm groups had warned a ban could cut yields and raise food costs.
The decision drew backlash from environmental groups and some Robert F. Kennedy Jr. allies, who cite links to frog hormone disruption, water contamination, cancer and other human health risks.
Why did one U.S. agency approve a weedkiller another found likely to harm 1,000 species?
With cancer links and an EU ban, why is this weedkiller still used on American food crops?