A progressive lawmaker is pushing to ban the herbicide to protect farmworkers and communities. But ag groups are refuting the claims and trying to rapidly educate lawmakers on the complex and robust regulatory process already in place.
Assembly Bill 1963 would sundown the use of the herbicide paraquat, which has been linked to Parkinson's disease and other health issues, beginning in January 2026.
The fight over whether EPA should keep allowing paraquat to be sprayed on U.S. fields continued with dueling comments submitted to EPA on its recent reconsideration of a wide range of issues involving the controversial herbicide.
The Environmental Protection Agency has affirmed its finding that the “weight of evidence is insufficient” to link exposure from use of paraquat to Parkinson’s Disease in humans.
It is against the law to use paraquat in China, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and dozens of other countries. Many countries have banned the herbicide due to its extreme toxicity, while others have expressed concerns over the possible risk for Parkinson's disease. The company, Syngenta, says that paraquat, which it produces under the name Gramoxone, "is safe for its intended and labelled use."