Intervening In Pesticide Case
by Greg Martin,
Program: Line on Agriculture
Date: March 28, 11
Audio: http://www.aginfo.net/Assets/Audio/LOA032811st.mp3
I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.
Ag chemical companies are trying to intervene in a lawsuit filed against the Environmental Protection Agency that could set a precedent for how farmers apply pesticides. Environmental groups alleged EPA violated the Endangered Species Act by not consulting federal officials about the potential effect pesticides could have on hundreds of species. The court gave the parties approval to work out a settlement, but CropLife America is opposing the action. CEO Jay Vroom says they made a motion to intervene on March 18.
VROOM: We have filed to seek to be admitted as interveners in this new lawsuit from the environmental extremists community that was filed back in January. If it is really sort of the ultimate expansion of a series of lawsuits challenging simply the procedural question of whether or not the consultation process was properly followed between the endangered species agencies of the federal government and U.S. EPA that has principal authority for registering pesticide products.
Vroom says in their motion they argue that EPA would not represent their best interests in a settlement. He says they want to preserve pesticide registrations and licenses and the right to sell the products.
Full text version link below
http://www.aginfo.net/index.cfm/event/report/id/Line-on-Agriculture-18857