The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) is urging EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler to seek an immediate stay of federal court order and appeal the ruling “using all legal avenues available.”

President and CEO Daren Coppock says part of the problem is the order itself, but a bigger part is the timing to hand it down right in the middle of the application season.

“This decision by the Ninth Circuit is an overreach and must be corrected immediately,” Coppock said in a letter to Wheeler. “This will have a major impact on this year’s crops if not handled very soon. The farm economy has already experienced major struggles this year and this is one that can easily be avoided.”

Administrator Wheeler agreed in a statement that the decision creates an undue burden for farmers. “This ruling implicates millions of acres of crops, millions of dollars already spent by farmers, and the food and fiber Americans across the country rely on to feed their families,” said Wheeler. “EPA is assessing all avenues to mitigate the impact of the Court’s decision on farmers.”

Coppock says they were on the phone to EPA officials over the weekend discussing options and he hopes that means they will make a quick decision. In this interview, Coppock talks about how the decision impacts retailers and farmers, what they would like to see EPA do, and how different states are responding to the ruling.