Georgia and North Dakota: Leading the way for farmers

By Elizabeth Burns Thompson, Executive Director, Modern Ag Alliance

Today's farmers face growing uncertainty—tariffs, increased costs, and market fluctuations—and on top of that, they're caught in the crosshairs of lawfare and the threat of unworkable regulatory patchworks. For the last several years, the litigation industry has made a fortune attacking farmers' most commonly used crop protection tools, with relentless and often meritless lawsuits based on a single, discredited WHO report. If the litigation industry’s insatiable appetite causes farmers to lose access to essential, proven products like glyphosate, they will face an impossible choice: grow less food or increase prices, driving food inflation up to two and a half times higher for every family in America. 

Thankfully, two states, Georgia and North Dakota, are showing us a path forward. With the signing of Georgia's SB 144 and North Dakota's HB 1318 into law, these states have taken a monumental step in providing much-needed clarity and certainty for their farmers to get the job done. 

At their core, these bills affirm a fundamental principle: existing federal law clearly places pesticide labeling authority with the EPA, and no company should be sued for following the law. By ensuring that the label is the law, farmers can continue to rely on the tools that are essential for securing our food supply.

Georgia and North Dakota's new laws—which were approved with bipartisan support—are aligned with the views of American farmers, the ag industry, and the overall public, who favor science-based solutions and expect their elected officials to stand with agriculture over litigation. Our most recent Ag Insights Survey found that 79 percent of Georgians and 91 percent of North Dakotans are more likely to support leaders who stand with farmers over trial lawyers on agriculture policy.

In addition to strong public support behind these wins, the strong backing of grower groups in both states, coupled with the strong leadership of our legislative champions and Governors Kemp and Armstrong, helped turn shared priorities into sound ag policy. 

Georgia and North Dakota are showing the country what real leadership in agriculture looks like—providing a blueprint for other states to build a more predictable, science-based regulatory framework. Such state solutions protect the backbone of our food system, ensuring American farmers will have the tools they need to continue providing the abundant food and fuel supply that we all enjoy.

For lawmakers and allies: the stakes are high, but the blueprint is there—it’s time to follow it and put farmers first.

Elizabeth Burns-Thompson serves as the Executive Director of the Modern Ag Alliance, where she leads the Alliance’s efforts to advocate for U.S. farmers’ continued access to essential crop protection tools.