A notable agricultural lobbyist has cautioned President Trump that any efforts to support alternative pesticides could alienate agricultural stakeholders. Axios reported this development on Wednesday.
This situation highlights a conflict between the advocates of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative, which seeks to limit traditional pesticide use, and the farm lobby’s aim to safeguard the pesticides currently in use. According to the outlet, tensions have been rising.
On Thursday, Trump, Kennedy, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, and American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall gathered in the Oval Office to discuss an executive order concerning pesticides that Trump was expected to sign later. This meeting reportedly upset some of Kennedy’s staff members. Earlier that same day, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the makers of Roundup, exacerbating tensions for the MAHA movement.
Kennedy informed Trump that this court ruling was a significant setback for the movement, according to reports.
He also mentioned that the forthcoming order, which aims to encourage alternatives to traditional pesticides in food production and expand research into their effectiveness, might help alleviate the ruling’s negative effects.
Jonathan Lundgren, a farmer from South Dakota and former USDA official, advocated during the meeting for Trump to sign an executive order, stressing that pesticide usage is detrimental to farmers’ health. “One of the main points I wanted him to grasp is that farmers are in bad shape right now. This food system is literally making them sick,” Lundgren shared.
Several farmers backed Lundgren’s advocacy for regenerative agriculture, which aims to restore degraded soil with specific management practices that limit pesticide and synthetic fertilizer use, as noted by the Noble Institute.
Meanwhile, Duvall implored Trump not to proceed with the executive order, warning it could jeopardize farmer support. Lundgren described Duvall’s confrontation with Trump as “shocking,” indicating that Trump seemed genuinely concerned and wanted to understand Duvall’s perspective.
A later encounter between Duvall and senior White House advisor Curry Means escalated, as Means suggested Duvall hadn’t adequately reviewed the executive order, according to sources familiar with the discussion.
“The atmosphere was intense,” Lundgren recounted. “There was a lot of back and forth, and people were clearly arguing.”
Rollins, who has defended glyphosate and similar pesticides, encouraged Trump to sign the order. Ultimately, Trump did sign it after considering further input, and Duvall later expressed his support for the decision. Glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, faces criticism for potential cancer risks.
Neither AFBF nor HHS responded to inquiries from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
A USDA spokesperson told DCNF, “We do not comment on private meetings with the President, whether on or off the record.” “It’s unfortunate that it happens to other people.”
White House Press Secretary Khush Desai remarked that Trump is making informed decisions after consulting various experts. “The President remains committed to doing what is best for the MAHA movement, farmers, and the American populace. Signing this order illustrates that dedication,” Desai said.
On Thursday, Trump issued a presidential order titled “Advancing Regenerative Agriculture and Strengthening American Farm Resilience.” This policy encourages the advancement of precision agriculture technology and aims to increase federal investment in regenerative agricultural practices and education.
A separate executive order was also released in February to bolster domestic glyphosate production, amidst strong opposition from the MAHA movement. This earlier order claimed that a lack of glyphosate-based herbicides could significantly endanger agricultural success, pressure the national food system, and potentially convert agricultural land to other uses due to diminished productivity.
