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Internal EPA Documents Reveal Bayer Input on Proposed Dicamba Weedkiller Regulations
Just the facts
Internal Environmental Protection Agency records disclosed that the agency allowed pesticide manufacturer Bayer to select from a menu of regulatory options before drafting proposed federal rules for the weedkiller dicamba. The chemical herbicide has generated agricultural and environmental disputes across the Midwest and Southern United States due to volatility and drift that damages non-tolerant neighboring crops and natural vegetation. The published records demonstrate that specific regulatory choices endorsed by Bayer were incorporated directly into proposed agency standards. The regulatory history of dicamba has faced ongoing federal court challenges regarding compliance with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.
Why this is news
Internal agency records obtained and published by investigative journalists revealed regulatory interactions between federal environmental officials and agribusiness corporation Bayer.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.