News Business News 10 Pesticides Approved for Use on Industrial Hemp The EPA announced on Thursday the approval of 10 pesticides for use on industrial hemp, the first such products cleared for hemp By Chuck Abbott Chuck Abbott The slow-talking son of an Illinois farm family, Chuck Abbott covered U.S. food and agriculture policy in its many forms since 1988, from farm bills (six so far) and crop insurance reform to school lunch, ag research, biofuels and the Dietary Guidelines. Editor of the daily electronic newsletter Ag Insider published by the Food and Environment Reporting Network and contributor to agriculture.com. Successful Farming's Editorial Guidelines Published on December 20, 2019 Close Photo: iStock: studio023 With the 2020 growing season on the horizon, the EPA announced on Thursday the approval of 10 pesticides for use on industrial hemp, the first such products cleared for hemp. The 2018 farm bill legalized cultivation of the crop and the USDA released guidelines in October that opened the gate for farmers across the nation to grow it. Nine bio-pesticides and one conventional pesticide were approved by EPA. Most of them control insects, bacteria, fungi or nematodes. The EPA said it would process additional applications for approval as they are filed. "Hemp presents an exciting new agricultural commodity, and the EPA's action will help provide farmers with the tools they need to seize this opportunity," said the U.S. Hemp Roundtable. The EPA also proposed an interim decision on atrazine, a widely used weed killer, that includes mandatory steps to control drift when the herbicide is sprayed onto crops and turf. Atrazine is used on 75 million acres annually and is most often used on corn, sorghum, and sugarcane. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit