EPA announced a proposal to overturn decades-long policies regulating farmers’ and ranchers’ use of rodenticides. The proposed changes would enhance current restrictions, create new certifications and trainings, add more requirements to labels, reclassify some products to restricted use pesticides and, if not the most important aspect, presents a major biosecurity risk to farms. A challenging, time-consuming and expensive proposal for rural and urban populations.
Rodenticide is an important part of the agriculture industry. Uncontrolled mice and rats have a detrimental effect on the environment as well as farms and ranches. Along with crop destruction, rodents transmit bacteria and viruses that infect and cause animal diseases.
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) organized and is leading a coalition with eight other agricultural organizations calling on the EPA to withdraw its proposal. In regulatory comments to the EPA, the coalition highlighted that EPA’s choice to designate rodenticides as “Restricted Use Products” will undermine animal health and welfare, put food safety at risk, reduce environmental performance and increase economic losses for hard-working farmers.