EPA proposes ban of acephate-based pesticides used on fruits and vegetables

May 7, 2024
By: Nathan Owens, Reporter with Agriculture Dive (online article)

One agriculture consultant said the loss “from our insecticide toolbox would be like sending a soldier off to battle without his rifle.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to cancel nearly all uses of acephate-based pesticides, which are commonly used in fruit and vegetable production, to protect human health.

The cancellation would ban agricultural and non-agricultural uses of the chemical, except for non-food bearing tree injections, which the EPA says do not pose risks to humans or the environment.

The interim decision is based on public health risk and drinking water assessments published last year that recognized acephate as a significant contributor to certain dietary and neurological issues, including tremors, fatigue and nausea.

Read the original article by Nathan Owens in its entirety here.