Document Type
Article
Media Type
text
Publication Title
Northern Illinois University Law Review
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has introduced new herbicide and insecticide strategies to comply with the Endangered Species Act (ESA), a move that will have significant implications for Illinois farmers and endangered species. Illinois, a leading producer of corn and soybeans, relies heavily on pesticides. Unfortunately, these chemicals have been identified as a key driver of monarch and other endangered species population decline. This note examines how the EPA’s new strategies aim to balance species protection with agricultural viability, addressing concerns over financial burdens of compliance, the complexity of the strategies, and a lack of enforcement provisions. While Illinois farmers fear increased costs and operational challenges, the strategies include ample mitigation flexibility to allow farmers to comply in cost effective ways. Environmentalists advocate for stronger enforcement, including stricter mitigation requirements and mandatory pesticide use reporting, to ensure effective species protection. By analyzing both Illinois agricultural groups and environmentalists’ concerns, through public comments on the rule makings, this note argues that Illinois farmers can adapt to the new regulations without significant economic harm, and that successful implementation could aid in the recovery of the state’s iconic monarch butterfly.
First Page
148
Last Page
177
Publication Date
11-1-2025
Department
College of Law
Recommended Citation
Jerkatis, Jonathan
(2025)
"Pesticides, Pollinators, and Producers: The EPA’s New Herbicide and Insecticide Strategies and Illinois Farmers,"
Northern Illinois University Law Review: Vol. 46:
Iss.
1, Article 6.
Suggested Citation
Jonathan Jerkatis, Note, Pesticides, Pollinators, and Producers: The EPA’s New Herbicide and Insecticide Strategies and Illinois Farmers, 46 N. Ill. Univ. L. Rev. 148 (2025).
