US bans chlorpyrifos on all food crops

An image showing a tractor whell with a sprayer

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Environmental agency removes remaining exceptions for agricultural use of controversial insecticide

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has banned organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos on all food crops. The decision follows an April appeal of the EPA’s previous decision in response to a petition filed by environmental groups in 2007. In 2019, under the Trump administration, the EPA elected to allow chlorpyrifos use in limited agricultural application. The agency’s new rule is expected to go into effect around February – six months after its official publication.