EPA to Convene Scientific Advisory Panel on Atrazine

Released on: September 13, 2010, 3:43 am
Author:
NCGA
Industry:
Agriculture
In light of the upcoming U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Scientific Advisory Panel’s reevaluation of atrazine, The National Corn
Growers Association (NCGA) reemphasizes the safety and importance of
the herbicide in a new commentary:
“For four days, academic, industry and government experts, along with
representatives of stakeholder groups, will again address the EPA committee with
information on the safe and important herbicide atrazine.
The most studied herbicide in the world, with more than 6,000 studies on record,
atrazine is already supported as a safe crop protectant by years of credible,
scientific research. Despite the copious data on this proven tool, the EPA is
carrying out this reevaluation outside of normal procedures due to unsubstantiated
activist claims based upon incendiary rhetoric. The National Corn Growers
Association strongly opposes the EPA’s complicity in this continued attack and urges
the agency to base policy decisions in sound science.
During the public comment portion of the hearings, scheduled for Wednesday, Sept.
15, Triazine Network Chairman and Kansas Corn Executive Director Jere White will
speak on behalf of the growers who depend upon atrazine to help fight
herbicide-resistant weeds. Gary Marshall, MO Corn CEO will also be part of the
Triazine Networks panel. Representatives from other stakeholder groups will also
speak out during this period to stress the importance of this chemical to U.S.
agriculture as a whole.
‘Currently, atrazine is applied on more than half of all U.S. corn acres, two-thirds
of sorghum acres and nearly 90 percent of all U.S. sugar cane acres,’ White said.‘Mixed with another herbicide, atrazine enhances the performance of the original
product and helps to control a variety of herbicide-resistant weeds. With positive
safety reviews on record by the EPA, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the
World Health Organization, this important chemical has a proven safety record.’
Not only is atrazine safe, it helps to protect the environment by saving soil. When
using this product, farmers are more likely to turn to conservation and no-tillage
systems that protect valuable top-soil. In 2008, 64 percent of the atrazine used in
corn farming allowed for no-till or conservation practices. This impacts
agriculture’s sustainability directly, as conservation tillage can reduce soil
erosion by as much as 90 percent.
The Triazine Network, of which NCGA is a member, recently wrote a letter to EPA
Administrator Lisa Jackson, expressing its concern on the agency's reevaluation. As
an organization or individual citizen interested in a science-based outcome to the
atrazine issue at the EPA, your support of this letter is vital. In doing so, you
can help assure that the EPA follows agency protocol and uses science-based evidence
when reviewing atrazine, not the false accusations of activists. Please click on
this link to read the Triazine Network's letter to EPA Administrator Jackson
listing our concerns about the agency's handling of the re-review of atrazine, and
join us in this effort.”
Contact Details: Ken Colombini
NCGA - Director of Communications
Colombini@ncga.com
636-733-9004

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