Meeting the Challenge of ESA Changes
December 17, 2024 When news of the U.S. EPA’s intention to overhaul processes for meeting its obligations under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) started circulating a few years ago, it didn’t take long for the impact to capture the attention of the agriculture industry.
The EPA’s proposals affect every participant along the value chain, from the chemical companies to retailers to growers. It had been decades since the industry faced such widespread regulatory change.
Moreover, it couldn’t have come at a worse time.
According to the USDA’s Economic Research Service, farm sector incomes in 2024 are estimated at $140 billion, a $42 billion decline from 2022’s high of $182 billion. Growers are dealing with a variety of pressures, including higher input costs, lower commodity prices, and severe weather that has stressed and damaged crops.
Industry associations were among the first to act. The EPA’s proposals were lengthy and complex, which demanded poring over hundreds of pages and multiple documents, interpreting technical and legal language, and holding intensive meetings with government officials to find common ground and reasonable solutions.
It’s a work in progress, but there are important milestones to celebrate.
The Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology (CPDA) successfully advocated for the EPA’s approval of drift reduction adjuvants as a mitigation tool in the final Herbicide Strategy, which was released in August 2024.
Ultimately, the goal is to, “Let farmers farm,” says CPDA President Terry Kippley.
Simply put, that means ensuring growers can use the products and application methods they want while keeping acreage in production without losing it to buffer zones.
The theme of this special report, “The ABCs of ESA,” encompasses a series of print publications, online articles, and educational webinars that will continue into 2025.
- Download the Special Report: The ABCs of ESA
Join us as we update progress from the CPDA and other industry groups, including CropLife America and the Agricultural Retailers Association, share insights from retailers and growers, and keep you posted on the latest news and developments from across the industry in the months ahead.
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