By Blake Jackson
The Triazine Network, a coalition of agriculture groups, has strongly responded to the MAHA Commission’s recent claims that pesticides like atrazine may cause childhood illness. The Network called the assertions inaccurate, irresponsible, and unsupported by credible scientific evidence.
Atrazine, one of the most commonly used herbicides in agriculture, has a long history of safety and effectiveness. Approved in the U.S. since 1958, it is considered the most studied herbicide in the world, with over 7,000 research studies backing its safety. Regulatory bodies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have consistently reviewed these studies and concluded that atrazine is safe for human health and the environment.
The Triazine Network criticized the MAHA Commission’s report for creating unnecessary fear and misrepresenting the scientific review process. They emphasized that EPA’s system for evaluating crop protection products includes multiple layers of safety, especially focused on protecting children's health.
“While the regulatory process for atrazine has been seemingly never-ending, and while we don’t always agree with EPA’s determinations on atrazine, we respect the system that is bound by federal law to use credible scientific research to arrive at regulatory decisions,” said Greg Krissek, Triazine Network co-chair. “Simply put, the U.S. regulatory system is the gold standard for the world.”
The Network stressed the importance of keeping pesticide policies grounded in sound science. They warned that spreading false or poorly researched claims could undermine the effectiveness of pesticide regulation and damage public trust.
As the MAHA Commission prepares its final recommendations for release in August, the Triazine Network affirmed its commitment to staying involved and ensuring accurate information guides in the discussion on crop protection tools.
Photo Credit: istock-fotokostic
Categories: Kentucky, Crops, Corn