Corteva To Stop Manufacturing Chlorpyrifos

The largest manufacturer of a once-commonly used insecticide will stop making it by the end of the year. Corteva Agriscience announced Thursday they would stop manufacturing chlorpyrifos, after California announced plans to ban its use. Chlorpyrifos has been used for years to kill pests that threatened crops like strawberries, corn, and citrus. The insecticide has been linked in certain studies to neurological problems in children and has been called a threat to wildlife. However, the Environmental Protection Agency has resisted banning the product from the market, while saying that additional safety tests are needed. California’s ban follows one put in place by Hawaii that will take effect in 2022. The European Union has also banned using the insecticide. However, a Corteva spokesperson says significant decline in demand for the product over the past twenty years and not safety concerns led to their decision.