EPA’s Office of Inspector General issued a report saying the North Dakota Agriculture Department failed to enforce and do pesticide inspections. North Dakota Ag Commissioner Doug Goerhing says he felt blindsided by the report.

Goerhing also disagreed with OIG in their conclusion that his department is doing an inadequate job. He says they have been and continue to do pesticide inspections.

Goerhing suggests that OIG’s announcement this week might be politically motivated. He says his department and the state’s ag community and state government have all disagreed with EPA on several issues.