Seed Treatment Lawsuit Moves Forward

         
Earlier this year, NAWG joined a coalition of agriculture groups, agricultural retailers and Crop Life America in requesting to intervene in a lawsuit brought against the EPA by environmental activists and others. The lawsuit is Anderson v. EPA, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Jan. 6, 2016. The plaintiffs want the court to order the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate seeds treated with pesticides as if the seeds were the pesticides. In an Order dated May 13, the court rejected EPA’s motion to dismiss the case, but also issued an Order that granted the Motion to Intervene. NAWG will be working with the agriculture coalition on next steps for the lawsuit to defend EPA’s current regulation of neonicotinoid and other seed treatment pesticides and to ensure that the court and EPA understand the vital importance of treated seeds to American agriculture.