(NDDA.com) –

BISMARCK – Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring applauded the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision today to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) revocation of all tolerances for food uses of chlorpyrifos.

“Chlorpyrifos is a critical insecticide widely used in the Midwest and in North Dakota for soybeans, grains, sugarbeets and other important crops,” Goehring said. “Few other viable crop protection options exist to control pests in these crops. That is why North Dakota joined with numerous agriculture groups to sue the EPA in the 8th Circuit seeking an injunction of the ban.”

The 8th Circuit, in overturning the EPA’s ban, said they had no excuse for banning chlorpyrifos altogether instead of considering all aspects of chlorpyrifos, including the 11 high-benefit agricultural uses of chlorpyrifos that EPA had already concluded were safe. EPA must give a fully reasoned explanation for any decision it makes regarding chlorpyrifos.

The North Dakota Department of Agriculture will continue to participate in future EPA rulemaking on chlorpyrifos to protect the interest of the state and its producers.