Ag Policy Blog

As the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments about EPA and state authorities over pesticides, a group of lawmakers engaged in a heated argument over whether the House version of the farm bill gives pesticide manufacturers liability protection against state lawsuits.

The House Rules Committee on Monday began debating the rules for floor debate on the farm bill and more than 300 amendments that were submitted for consideration to the bill.

Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., ranking member of the Rules committee, also is a member of the Agriculture committee and pushed House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., about the impact of the pesticide provision, which he described as a “liability shield for pesticide companies.” McGovern asked Thompson if he believed glyphosate is safe.

“My opinion is not important,” Thompson said before McGovern interrupted his answer. Thompson added, “So I pointed to the EPA, which has found glyphosate is probably the most studied chemical or agricultural tool in the country, if not the world.”