American Soybean Association leaders have filed comments with the EPA on their Pollinator Health Plan. They are concerned the EPA’s plan could have major consequences for growers with little guarantee of improvements. South Dakota Soybean Association Director Dave Poppens who farms near Lennox says one problem is the plan calls for growers to have areas where the pollinators or butterflies can go through the fields and find food.

Poppens says ASA and most farmers in general support programs to improve pollinator health. However, state managed pollinator protection plans need to be developed with significant grower involvement. That requires more time and resources than the EPA is ready to provide.

He is hoping the agency will listen to their concerns and develop a more workable and sensible solution.

Poppens says he and other ASA directors don’t like the EPA’s one size fits all approach. He says it limits flexibility that ag producers need.