Trump EPA Reapproves Twice-Banned Pesticide, Sparking Lawsuit

Conservation and farming groups challenge dicamba approval despite history of damage and court rulings against it.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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A coalition of conservation and farming groups have sued the Trump administration and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the agency's reapproval of the herbicide dicamba, which has been banned twice before due to widespread crop damage from drift. The groups argue the EPA's latest approval violates federal law and ignores the chemical's history of harm.

Why it matters

Dicamba is known to drift far beyond targeted areas, causing extensive damage to neighboring farms and gardens. It has also been linked to increased cancer risks. Previous EPA approvals of dicamba were overturned by federal courts due to the 'enormous and unprecedented damage' it caused, but the agency has now reapproved the chemical, drawing the ire of environmental and farming advocates.

The details

The EPA's latest approval of dicamba substantially loosens previous restrictions, allowing year-round use and eliminating a proposed cutoff date. While the agency claims it has imposed the 'strongest restrictions in EPA history,' the plaintiffs argue these measures are inadequate and have failed to prevent dicamba's damaging drift in the past.

  • In 2018 and 2020, the EPA previously approved dicamba under the Trump administration, but those approvals were found unlawful by federal courts.
  • In 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit revoked the first Trump administration's 2018 approval of dicamba.
  • In 2024, the U.S. District Court of Arizona in Tucson overturned the administration's 2020 approval of dicamba.

The players

Center for Food Safety (CFS)

A non-profit organization that filed the lawsuit against the EPA's dicamba reapproval, along with several other conservation and farming groups.

National Family Farm Coalition

A co-plaintiff in the lawsuit, representing the interests of family farmers.

Center for Biological Diversity

An environmental non-profit that is part of the lawsuit challenging the EPA's dicamba reapproval.

Pesticide Action and Agroecology Network

A co-plaintiff in the lawsuit, advocating for sustainable agriculture practices.

Lee Zeldin

The current EPA Administrator, who the plaintiffs accuse of 'pro-industry spin' and 'reckless reapproval' of dicamba.

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What they’re saying

“EPA's re-registration of dicamba flies in the face of a decade of damning evidence, real world farming know-how and sound science, and, oh-by-the-way, the law. In reality, the Trump administration has once again betrayed farmers and poisoned the environment to pad corporate pesticide profits. We will see them in Court.”

— George Kimbrell, Legal Director, Center for Food Safety (Newsweek)

“[EPA Administrator] Lee Zeldin's hollow promises that new restrictions on dicamba will prevent damaging drift to nearby farms and backyard gardens is totally unsupported by the facts or common sense. Zeldin insists he's working closely with the Make American Healthy Again movement to make pesticides safer. But his reckless reapproval of this dangerous, highly toxic pesticide shows his words to be nothing more than an attempt to 'MAHA-wash' the facts. No one in the healthy foods movement has been fooled by Zeldin's pro-industry spin game.”

— Nathan Donley, Environmental Health Science Director, Center for Biological Diversity (News Release)

“This is déjà vu all over again. Despite an extensive history of failed weed management in genetically engineered crops, thousands of complaints by farmers about crop damage caused by drift, and two prior court bans, EPA is once again re-registering dicamba. There is no rationale for re-approving this incredibly harmful herbicide other than to line the pockets of the agri-chemical industry. National Family Farm Coalition is standing up for family farmers and rural communities everywhere in urging our courts to block this egregious, irresponsible and unjust reapproval.”

— Jim Goodman, Co-President, National Family Farm Coalition (News Release)

“Dicamba's tendency to volatilize and drift is well-documented and when dicamba was registered for over-the-top spraying our vegetable farm, like so many farms, saw a significant decline in marketable produce from damage. Successful legal challenges removed dicamba's prior registrations, and because of that we have had successful seasons without dicamba drift. A new dicamba registration will, once again, pit farmer against farmer, and some of us will be forced to exit food production.”

— Rob Faux, Iowa Farmer and Communications Manager, Pesticide Action and Agroecology Network (News Release)

What’s next

The conservation and farming groups have asked the court to review whether the EPA's latest dicamba reapproval complies with previous court rulings against the chemical. They believe the EPA has violated federal law in its decision to reapprove dicamba.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing battle between environmental and public health advocates and the EPA and agrichemical industry over the use of dicamba. Despite a history of court rulings against the chemical and evidence of its harmful effects, the EPA has once again approved dicamba, prompting a new legal challenge that could determine the future of this controversial pesticide.