skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

As New Trade Talks Evolve, Pesticide Concerns Enter the Discussion

play audio
Play

Thursday, September 29, 2022   

The U.S. is talking with several nations as part of an emerging framework for trade policy. But in the Midwest, there are concerns about the ripple effect on farmers and consumers when it comes to pesticides.

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework involves more than a dozen countries and has four negotiating pillars, including decarbonization and anti-corruption.

While there are motivations to move away from standard trade ideals, Steve Suppan - senior policy analyst for the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy - said influence from large agribusiness firms still might complicate things. Pesticides is one of them.

"Some of the IPEF countries have pesticide policies that are rejecting U.S. imports that have pesticide residues on horticulture and grain exports," said Suppan.

He predicted that will lead to calls for the elimination of "zero tolerance" policies, with companies arguing they'll disrupt the delivery of food. There's added concern these discussions will happen behind closed doors.

Organic farmers in Minnesota argue that the U.S. already has lax pesticide regulations, and the country should focus on making them stronger and eventually phasing out use of these chemicals.

Alex Schwartz - lead farmer of Hanger Farms, which grows organic products in Lino Lakes - said he feels a long-term term plan to reduce U.S. reliance on pesticides could help minimize disruptions to the world's food supply.

He said there's growing research about the impacts on farmer health, as well as food safety and pollinators like bees.

"That could be one of the most difficult problems facing agriculture later in the 21st century," said Schwartz. "If we do not have a significant population of honeybees to pollinate the crops - that we're going to be in a lot of trouble."

A proposal in Congress - the Protect America's Children from Toxic Pesticides Act - would ban certain products deemed dangerous, while closing regulatory loopholes.

While the future of the bill is uncertain, supporters say it also protects local governments and their ability to adopt their own pesticide rules. Some in Congress have been fighting a patchwork of regulations.




get more stories like this via email
more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …

Social Issues

play sound

Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …


The U.S. teaching workforce remains primarily white while the percentage of Black teachers has declined. However, the percentage of Asian and Latinx teachers is rising.(WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobestock)

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …

Environment

play sound

New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021