Biden EPA Restores Pre-Trump Farmworker Protections From Pesticides

"The Biden administration this week restored Obama-era farmworker protections from pesticides that were rolled back under the Trump administration.

The rule restores a requirement preventing people from being within 100 feet of where some pesticides are sprayed. This boundary particularly applies for pesticides with small droplets that make them prone to accidental exposures.

The Trump administration reduced this boundary to 25 feet. However, the Trump rule never took effect because it was temporarily halted in court.

The Biden administration also reinstated a pre-Trump provision stating this boundary applies beyond the edge of a farm if it is within the 100-foot radius, or a 25-foot radius for pesticides with medium or large droplets. The Trump administration had said boundary enforcement could only go to the farm’s edge regardless of actual distance from the pesticides."

Rachel Frazin reports for The Hill October 3, 2024.

Source: The Hill, 10/04/2024