VT S0176

Prohibits the sale, use, or application of paraquat (a nonselective contact herbicide) in Vermont, effective July 1, 2026

Allows the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets to authorize paraquat use only when a threat to Vermont crops exists and no other herbicide would be effective

Cites health concerns including NIH studies linking paraquat exposure to substantially increased risk of Parkinson's disease, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and childhood leukemia

Notes that 72 countries have banned paraquat, including the European Union (since 2007), Brazil, China, and others, while the EPA classified it as a restricted use pesticide in 1978 due to high acute toxicity

References the EPA's January 2025 withdrawal of interim registration approval for paraquat to reevaluate volatilization risks, a review process that may take years while use continues