‘MAHA’ activists urge Trump to oppose limits on pesticide regulation

By Leah Douglas

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump should block the U.S. House from limiting the regulation of pesticides and “forever chemicals” in its environmental appropriations bill or risk losing Republican support, more than 200 activists aligned with the “Make America Healthy Again” movement said in a letter to Trump.

The letter, which also opposes liability shields for pesticide companies, is the latest sign of tension between MAHA backers, who elevated Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and warn of health risks from pesticides, and the Trump administration, which has worked to appease farm interests concerned about a crackdown on agrochemicals.

“Mr. President, creating broad liability protections for pesticides is a losing issue for your party andyour coalition, and may well cost you the House majority in the midterms,” said the letter, which was sent on Monday. It was signed by leaders from Moms Across America, MAHA Action, Children’s Health, which was founded by Kennedy, and others.

The White House did not respond to a request to comment.

Trump should oppose provisions of the House of Representatives environmental appropriations bill that would limit pesticide regulation and prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from implementing a draft risk assessment on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, the synthetic chemicals commonly called forever chemicals, said the letter.

The bill has already been approved by a key committee, but still needs to be considered by the full House before moving forward.

The Trump administration should also oppose liability shields for pesticide companies against litigation alleging negative health outcomes from the use of their products, the letter said. Chemical company Bayer is working to pass state and federal legislation that would shield it from some such lawsuits as it tries to control costly litigation targeting its widely used Roundup weed killer.

A May report from Trump’s MAHA Commission, led by Kennedy, angered the farm industry for citing pesticides as possible health risks. In response, the White House held meetings with farm and food groups over the summer and was expected to deliver a second MAHA strategy report on August 12.

The report is on track to be delivered to the White House on Tuesday and will be released to the public once officials’ schedules are coordinated, said White House spokesman Kush Desai.

(Reporting by Leah Douglas in Washington; Editing by Leslie Adler)