Farm Director Maci Carter recently met up with Alexandra Dunn, President and CEO of CropLife America, and farmer Lindsay Thompson, Principal of Providence Strategies, LLC, to discuss critical issues facing American agriculture. A key focus of the conversation was the newly available resources designed to help farmers and retailers navigate the complexities of the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Alexandra Dunn highlighted the user-friendly tools that are now accessible online. “Well, we are really pleased to have a part of our website, CropLifeAmerica.org/ESA, where there are some really straightforward tools for farmers that will explain to them how the Endangered Species Act might impact their farm operations.” She emphasized the primary takeaway for farmers: “The first thing they need to know is it’s all about the label. The label of the product that they’re using has to have been changed to have ESA requirements. Right now, only a handful of labels have been updated to meet ESA requirements so most products that are out there that farmers are using don’t yet have Endangered Species Act requirements. So that’s an important thing for farmers to know.”
Dunn further explained the potential long-term implications of the ESA for agricultural practices. “Most farmland in America may have some endangered plant or insect somewhere around it. What we’re trying to do is make sure farmers understand that over time, pesticide labels will contain some requirements that might ask them to double-check a database and look up whether there are any endangered species around their area and their land. They may have to take some steps to make sure that when they’re applying, say, an insecticide, that they’re not coming into contact with those species. Again, it will be really specific for that product, and they’ll know when they purchase that product from their retailer or the manufacturer of the product. They will get information that the product has been reviewed and has endangered species requirements.”
Addressing the challenge of communicating pesticide science amidst misinformation, Dunn highlighted a proactive campaign. “We have a letter campaign right now that we’re working with various farm groups. We started it less than 10 days ago, and already 2,400 letters have gone to the White House telling President Trump that farmers do know how to use herbicides and insecticides, and that they need them to protect their crops.”
Farmer Lindsay Thompson offered a personal perspective, underscoring the rigorous regulatory process for pesticides in the U.S. “From a farmer’s perspective, we are using these pesticides on our farms, around our families. We want people to understand that while I have the luxury of understanding Pesticide Regulations, the United States has one of the most rigorous scientific processes for bringing pesticides to market. It’s really important to communicate based on science and not always emotion.”
She encouraged the public to seek credible information. “As a mom and a farmer, I can definitely understand why people have concerns about this, and so I would just encourage them to do their research. The Environmental Protection Agency has great resources that explain the testing, the regulation, and the data that is required. I would just encourage people to go to known, reputable sources on that.”
Thompson also discussed the practical impact of EPA regulations on farming operations. “The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act has been in place for over 70 years. Although some of the requirements under FIFRA, and the data required is getting better and better, there are new things that are coming on board, such as the Endangered Species Act. While that’s not fully implemented yet, it does cause a little bit of confusion or hesitation among farmers, because we want to ensure that we’re doing the right thing and we’re applying products how they’re supposed to be applied. I think communication between the registrants and the retailers and farmers is going to be really, really important moving forward, so that farmers feel confident using the products that they’re purchasing in a way that’s safe for the environment.”
Dunn shared ideas for modernizing the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs to expedite the availability of crucial tools for farmers. “It used to take about 12 years for a brand new product to get from the laboratory all the way through the EPA review process into a commercial product that a farmer could use. That process is taking much longer, 13, 14, or even 15 years. So as the pest pressure grows – weeds and insects are very smart, and they develop resistance – we really need that process to move a little more quickly.”
She suggested leveraging new technologies like Artificial Intelligence to improve efficiency in the review process. “With AI, you can have that tool go through and summarize the studies, and then the scientists can pick the most important ones and go back through them themselves. We think there are some efficiencies, and it sounds like EPA is really looking at that. We just learned on Friday with some of the restructuring at EPA, that they are considering moving 130 research scientists from the research office of EPA over to the pesticide office to help deal with the backlog of pesticide applications that are in line to be reviewed, and that’s pretty exciting.”
The conversation also shifted to the impact of current trade implications and tariff policies on the pesticide industry. Dunn expressed concern about the potential for increased costs for farmers. “A company bringing a finished product in from another country pays less tariff than a company bringing in ingredients and making it here in the United States. So we want to ensure that American manufacturing is rewarded, and that’s something we’re looking at. Also, we don’t want our farmers to have to pay higher prices for their herbicides and insecticides. Right now, prices haven’t changed yet, because things have been paused, but it could be down the road that could have an impact if supply really changes.”
Thompson shared the real-world economic pressures faced by farmers. “We experienced extreme inflation and supply chain-related price increases during COVID. As with anything, the prices didn’t necessarily come back down as quickly as the commodity prices. In 2024, it was the lowest farm gate net income since the agricultural depression of the 1980s, so a lot of farmers are having to figure out how we can farm moving forward in 2025. A lot of that uncertainty, not only around the cost of the inputs that we’re using, but also the price of the commodities that we’re trying to sell and what that is going to look like at harvest time, makes it really difficult to forecast our own economics on the farm.”
Finally, the discussion turned to how farmers can ensure their voices are heard during these uncertain times. Dunn highlighted the importance of engaging with farm advocacy groups. Additionally, she promoted a new online resource. “We have a new URL, FarmerVoicesMatter.com, and if farmers go to it, they’ll find a link that they can click and send a letter to the President and to their members of Congress and let them know that they use herbicides and insecticides responsibly, and they do want to keep access to those and they don’t want them taken out of their hands. So that’s something they can definitely do to be heard. It’s really important for farmers to speak up while all these changes are happening.”
Thompson echoed this sentiment. “One of the farmers that I work with a lot in Maryland had a really impactful quote that stuck with me: farmers are the smallest minority that impacts 100% of the population every single day, because everyone has to eat, right? Everyone has to drive their car. Everyone uses the fibers that we grow in their clothes, etc., but we’re a very small minority. As Alex said, it is really, really important for farmers to get involved and know that their voices do matter to their representatives and the White House.”
For more information about CropLife America, visit croplifeamerica.org.
