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The Gruenhagen Gazette: If EPA gives herbicide its OK, company protected
by Kerry Gruenhagen, Iowa Senate District 4 · Op-Ed · April 10, 2024
The thirteenth week of the legislative session involved a lot of debate by the whole Senate on important legislation and issues.
We are working our way through bills that have been amended by the House and Senate, finding an agreement on the budget for the year, and confirming a number of appointees by the governor.
On Thursday, I had the pleasure of meeting with a group who came up for LCMS Pastor Day on the Hill.
This week, I floor managed Senate File 2401, which passed unanimously in the Senate. This bill will help support farmers and the agriculture industry in our state.
In 1986, the Grain Indemnity Fund was created during the farm crisis and acts similar to an insurance policy for the grain farmers stored at grain elevators. Currently, all grain dealers and warehouse operators are required to participate in the Grain Indemnity Fund and pay fees on purchased or stored grain.
If at the end of a fiscal year the fund exceeds $8 million, the fees are waived, but if the balance of the fund falls below $3 million, the Grain Indemnity Fund Board reinstates these fees.
Senate File 2401 adjusts those amounts to a $12 million ceiling and a $5 million floor, and also extends coverage to credit sale contracts.
Last year, the Grain Indemnity Fund ran out of money due to a number of circumstances and the fee had to be reinstated.
This bill updates these numbers to better reflect today’s economy and hopefully prevent additional fees on farmers in the future.
Thank you to all who contacted me expressing their support for this bill.
The Senate also passed SF 2412 to help control the cost of herbicide for farmers.
A few years ago, trial lawyers took aim at RoundUp, a commonly used herbicide on many farms across the state. Trial lawyers found a willing judge and jury in California to award a multi-billion dollar judgment against the maker of that product, claiming the label the company used did not adequately warn the users of the product of the risks of using it.
The label used on RoundUp is determined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. If the company does not use the label approved by the EPA, it cannot sell the product in the United States.
The EPA has determined the label on RoundUp is correct and appropriate given the risk of the product, which is minimal.
This agency is the same one trying to regulate every farm pond in America, so if there was even a remote problem with RoundUp, the EPA would regulate it as strictly as possible.
RoundUp is more effective, cheaper, safer for farmers, and better for the environment than many herbicides used a couple decades ago. It is usable for farmers because of advances in seed genetics that made crops resistant to it.
SF 2412 simply states manufacturers cannot be sued for the required EPA label they put on their agricultural products. It is a common-sense proposal, but during debate in the Senate, many wild claims were made about not allowing farmers to sue if they get sick. I would like to reassure you that, despite the false claims, nothing in this bill prevents farmers from suing if a product is found to actually cause cancer. It just states a manufacturer cannot be sued if they label their product as required under federal law and regulated by the EPA.
The legislature is continuously trying to protect Iowa’s agriculture and economy.
As this year’s session is approaching the end, please continue to reach out with any questions or concerns.
To contact Senator Gruenhagen during the week, call the Senate Switchboard at 515-281-3371. E-mail him at kerry.gruenhagen@legis.iowa.gov. Gruenhagen serves on the following committees: Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Technology, Workforce and Government Oversight.
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