Course The 2026 Farm Bill: A Failure for Health

The Farm Bill proposal was released in the House in February. As written, the proposal would undermine public health, environmental protection and food security, while handing sweeping new protections to pesticide manufacturers at the expense of children and communities. Of note, the current text includes an alarming and controversial provision that would erase state and local pesticide safety laws that protect people, especially children, from exposure to toxic chemicals at schools, playgrounds and parks. More than 40 states, including Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, North Carolina and Texas, have adopted commonsense rules governing when and how pesticides can be sprayed near parks, playgrounds and schools. These safeguards reflect local conditions, public health science, and the voices of parents, educators and communities. The proposal threatens these protections nationwide.