EPA Allowed Bayer to Shape Dicamba Herbicide Rules
Regulatory documents reveal the herbicide manufacturer selected specific safety measures for the pesticide.
Updated on Sept. 20, 2026 in Organic Food
Live Poll
Do you trust federal regulatory agencies to set safety standards without corporate influence?
Between May and June 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency allowed Bayer to influence regulatory measures for the weedkiller dicamba. This process occurred following a new registration request submitted by the company in late 2024.
Why it matters
The collaboration raises questions about the regulatory independence of pesticide approval processes for widely used herbicides. It highlights a departure from standard oversight protocols after previous court-ordered bans on dicamba in 2020 and 2023.
Official documents from May and June 2025 detail how the EPA drafted pesticide regulations based on choices provided directly to Bayer. The registration framework is now the subject of a lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and the Center for Food Safety.
The players
Bayer
A life sciences company focused on pharmaceuticals and agricultural products, including controversial herbicides.
Environmental Protection Agency
The federal agency tasked with protecting human health and the environment through the regulation of chemicals.
Lee Zeldin
The administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency who took office in January 2025.
Center for Biological Diversity
A nonprofit organization that uses legal action to protect endangered species and limit the use of harmful pesticides.
Center for Food Safety
A public interest organization that advocates for safer food production and challenges agricultural regulatory decisions.
The details
The EPA provided Bayer with a list of regulatory options for the herbicide, allowing the manufacturer to choose among them for their registration request. By finalizing the framework based on these selections, the agency influenced how the product would be applied across U.S. farmland. This approach bypassed traditional arm's-length regulatory decision-making processes for agricultural chemicals.
Timeline
Courts banned the use of dicamba in 2020.
Courts banned the use of dicamba again in 2023.
Bayer filed a new registration request for dicamba in late 2024.
Lee Zeldin assumed the position of EPA administrator on January 29, 2025.
The EPA and Bayer coordinated on regulation options in May and June 2025.
Health Landscape
This development follows the pattern of previous legal challenges that resulted in the 2020 and 2023 federal court bans on the herbicide. It highlights ongoing friction regarding the oversight of agricultural chemicals used in food production systems.
Consumers concerned about herbicide residues on food may choose to prioritize organic produce, which is grown without synthetic pesticides like dicamba. It is worth discussing with your local grocer or farmer whether they adhere to organic certification standards to minimize exposure.
The takeaway
The regulation of agricultural chemicals is an ongoing process with significant legal and environmental implications. If you are concerned about pesticide exposure in your local community, you can track public comment periods or litigation updates via the official Environmental Protection Agency website.
Further reading
For more on the implications of agricultural chemical use, visit Organic Food.
Live Poll
Do you trust federal regulatory agencies to set safety standards without corporate influence?
