In response to an August 2021 ruling from the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals of the Ninth Circuit, the Environmental Protection Agency will finalize a rule revoking a food tolerance for chlorpyrifos on February 28th.

The insecticide has been withdrawn in the E.U. based on neurotoxicity and has been banned in California. The compound was the subject of a pending rule to be adopted under the Obama Administration.

Faced with an outright ban on the use of Chlorpyrifos, twenty one agricultural trade groups have filed a lawsuit to halt and revoke the proposed zero food tolerance level.  Associations that are parties to the lawsuit include the American Soybean Association, American Farm Bureau, American Sugarbeet Growers Association and the Cherry Marketing Institute.

Corteva, the largest manufacturer of chlorpyrifos, has discontinued production of the branded version Lorsban™ in 2020.  Although toxic, especially if used by other than statutory label directions, it is apparently critical to specific crops including cherries to control insect pests.  Alternatives to Chlorpyrifos must be developed since the product represents a danger to applicators and more importantly consumers especially babies and toddlers who are in danger of undergoing adverse neural effects from residues in foods.