By Drew Viguet
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Court decisions and policymakers are reshaping pesticide use in the United States, and a recent California proposal, the Sustainable Pest Management Roadmap for California, is designed to phase out certain pesticides altogether.
National Ag Law Center's Brigit Rollins: "crucial" for producers to stay on top of pesticide developments (U of A System Division of Agriculture file photo)
“California’s proposed policy would result in the state phasing out use of ‘high-risk’ pesticides by 2050,” Brigit Rollins said. “If that policy comes to fruition, it will of course have major ramifications for Western producers.”
Rollins will examine what is on the horizon for Western pesticide use during the NALC’s Western Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference. Her session, “The Future of Pesticides in the Western States: The Latest Legal Developments & Trends,” will discuss the California proposal and other policy developments from recent years that could shake up Western agriculture.
The conference will be held June 13-14 at the University of Nevada, Reno. Registration is online, and a livestream option for the program is available.
“Over the last several years, we’ve seen a series of court decisions, state laws and new federal policy that have influenced pesticide use,” Brigit Rollins, staff attorney for the National Agricultural Law Center, said. “For producers, staying on top of these changes, such as the recent ruling out of a federal court in Arizona, is crucial.”
The Feb. 6 decision from the U.S. District Court of Arizona resulted in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency vacating the 2020 registration allowing over-the-top use of dicamba-based pesticides XtendiMax, Engenia and Tavium. Following the federal court’s ruling, EPA released a memo stating that farmers are able to use existing dicamba stocks during the 2024 growing season.
During her session, Rollins will also explain EPA’s new policy approach for protecting endangered species from pesticide exposure, and what those changes could mean for pesticide users.
“The EPA’s new policy for how it carries out its Endangered Species Act responsibilities holds enormous weight for the future of pesticide use,” Rollins said. “As the EPA further integrates pesticide registration with the ESA, it won’t be surprising to see greater restrictions on pesticide use coming down the line as a result. I look forward to providing an update on the latest in pesticide use at the 2nd Annual Western Conference.”
Continuing education available
The Western Conference has been approved for continuing legal education credit in Nevada, and will be submitted for CLE approval in Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon and Utah. The conference has also been approved for continuing education by the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. The NALC will coordinate with attendees to self-report in other states.
For information about the National Agricultural Law Center, visit nationalaglawcenter.org or follow @Nataglaw on X. The National Agricultural Law Center is also on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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About the National Agricultural Law Center
The National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, state and federal policymakers, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, and many others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information to the nation’s agricultural community.
The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library.