By Clint Thompson
Southeast specialty crop industry leaders are stressing the need for crop protection tools amid a report from the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission that raises the possibility that the federal government could restrict farmers’ access to these essential inputs.
The Modern Ag Alliance highlighted in a press release how the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) boasts one of the most stringent review processes for products used by farmers. Glyphosate, for example, has been the center of more than 1,500 research studies and 50-plus years of review by the EPA and other leading global health authorities. All have affirmed its safety when used as directed, though the report from the MAHA Commission leans more on discredited studies and reports.
If farmers lose access to essential tools, the consequences for Southeast agriculture would be severe.
“We’ve already seen the disastrous effects of policies like those that have been contemplated by certain leaders of the MAHA Commission,” said Elizabeth Burns-Thompson, executive director of the Modern Ag Alliance. “When Sri Lanka prohibited the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers in 2021, crop yields fell by over 50%, forcing the government to import massive amounts of food just to meet basic needs. We should be focused on moving American agriculture — and the country — forward.”
Southeast Leaders Sound Off
Southeast Ag leaders echo her sentiments.
“Georgia’s farmers rely on proven, science-backed tools to grow the food and fiber that feed and clothe our nation,” said Will Bentley, president of the Georgia Agribusiness Council.
“For more than five decades, glyphosate has been rigorously studied and consistently affirmed as safe. The Georgia Agribusiness Council supports continued access to this essential tool, which helps our producers stay productive, sustainable and globally competitive.”
Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, added, “Georgia growers need access to safe and reliable crop protection tools to compete in the global marketplace. Deemed safe for over 50 years by numerous studies, glyphosate is a key tool for Georgia growers that allows our farmers to grow the fresh produce that feeds our country.”
Tom McCall, president of the Georgia Farm Bureau, noted, “In today’s farming climate, the availability of crop protection tools is critical to managing pest pressure, meeting the demands of a growing population, and staying competitive with foreign producers. American farmers cannot lose products that have been rigorously tested and approved over decades for any reason that is not based on sound science.”