Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers announced a petition this week urging the Biden-Harris Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create a “farming freedom rule” that prevents California lawmakers from imposing agricultural regulations on Iowa farmers. The attorneys general made the announcement this (Wednesday) morning at a grain and feed merchandiser in Omaha. Speakers at the press conference included Sherry Vinton, Nebraska’s Director of Agriculture; Kevin Ross, an Iowa farmer and former National Corn Growers Association president; and Mark McHargue, president of Nebraska Farm Bureau. Iowa and Nebraska, both major agricultural states, rely on glyphosate for weed control, improved crop yields, and reduced soil erosion. Last year, the two states produced over 4.2 billion bushels of corn and 839 million bushels of soybeans, contributing billions to the economy. California requires products containing glyphosate to be labeled as cancer-causing, despite an EPA conclusion to the contrary. Attorney General Bird criticized California’s labeling requirements as scientifically unfounded and harmful to farmers. Nine other states joined in the petition requesting EPA begin rulemaking proceedings to end the confusion surrounding pesticide labeling. A link to the petition is included below.
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