Insecticide regulations need to consider impacts on conservation adoption

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) newly published Insecticide Strategy was urgently needed to address the growing number of insects added to or being considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act. Scientific evidence links pesticides usage with pollinator declines and protecting non-pest insects requires an “all hands-on deck” approach. This new strategy, however, may undermine support from a key stakeholder group – farmers who use pesticides. The ambiguous language of the strategy, particularly in its compliance with the Endangered Species Act, may disincentivize growers from adopting new conservation practices, such as the USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) which provides crucial financial support to farmers engaging in voluntary conservation. Research highlighted here indicates that these practices can be invaluable to offsetting pollinator declines nationwide; the EPA’s new Insecticide Strategy should encourage these practices through addressing the uncertainty in its language and removing potential burdens to partaking in these valuable programs.