US environmental regulators ban a pesticide on most food crops

US environmental regulators are proposing to ban the pesticide chlorpyrifos on most food crops. This means farmers will no longer be able to use it on many fruits and vegetables.

For years, environmental groups have pushed to ban chlorpyrifos due to concerns about its effects on human health, especially in children. This proposal means that after decades of debate, the chemical will be removed from most of the food supply. It shifts the burden of proof from regulators having to prove harm to the chemical being presumed harmful for most uses.