A coalition that includes some of the largest U.S. environmental groups called on USDA “to take the necessary steps to ensure that the USDA maintains scientific integrity” and to inaugurate a third-party review of complaints by USDA scientists that their work has been censored or suppressed.
“In particular, scientists whose work has touched on issues related to neonicotinoid pesticides and glyphosate are reporting a pattern and practice of harassment, censorship and suppression,” said the letter signed by the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, Center for Food Safety, Pesticide Action Network and four dozen other green groups. “We are asking for binding reforms to USDA’s scientific integrity policy.”
In the letter sent to USDA and EPA. the coalition cited a 2015 petition by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility that asked for guidelines to assure government scientists can “evaluate and communicate freely about the safety of agricultural chemicals without political interference or fear of retaliation.” PEER said more than 10 USDA scientists came under scrutiny for work that question the safety of agricultural chemicals.