Iowa Attorney General
05/15/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/15/2024 16:16
Attorney General Bird Calls on Biden EPA to Reverse Formaldehyde Ban that Hurts Farmers
DES MOINES-Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird called on Biden's EPA to reverse a rule that will devastate Iowa agriculture by banning formaldehyde that has been used at safe levels for years.
EPA's mandate effectively bans formaldehyde by mandating that formaldehyde levels be beneath the background levels naturally found in many Americans' homes. Formaldehyde is a critical component in ensuring families have access to safe food and farmers can protect livestock. Formaldehyde allows farmers to defend their livestock by preventing outbreaks of bacteria, viruses, and diseases that may cause disastrous food shortages and economic losses.
Failing to protect farmers and livestock from those threats has catastrophic consequences, with pork and poultry producers alone losing billions of dollars to disease every year. Preventing farmers from using formaldehyde also jeopardizes the safety of Iowa's eggs and puts livestock at risk for outbreaks of African swine flu and avian flu. The strict regulations will drive business overseas to foreign adversaries like China.
"Iowa is a leading agriculture state, and we are going to keep it that way," said Attorney General Bird. "Iowa's farmers need access to formaldehyde to protect their livestock from diseases and continue providing safe foods at affordable prices. Formaldehyde has been used safely for years and should continue to be able to be used at safe levels. Not banned. We are calling on Biden's EPA to look at the facts and reverse its mandate that hurts farmers and jeopardizes the entire agriculture industry."
The letter calls on Biden's EPA to look at the science and reverse the formaldehyde ban.
Iowa led the letter and was joined by 19 other states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.
Read the full letter here.
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For More Information:
Alyssa Brouillet | Communications Director
(515) 823-9112