EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin detailed significant strides in reducing the agency’s pesticide registration backlog during his appearance at the Agri-Pulse Ag and Food Policy Summit today, stressing expedited reviews and greater public transparency.

“We’ve made tremendous progress,” Zeldin told Agri-Pulse founder Sara Wyant that the pesticide review backlog stood at 14,500 when he took office but has now dropped to 8,500. He attributed the progress to IT investments that fixed system downtimes, added personnel in the Office of Chemical Safety and a focus on efficiency. Zeldin noted the reorganization saves taxpayers about $750 million annually while prioritizing key functions like pesticide approvals.

Addressing expedited reviews amid competition from countries like Brazil, Zeldin emphasized using “gold standard science” and “radical transparency” in communications, particularly for controversial tools like glyphosate. On glyphosate, currently under review, Zeldin said he has not directed outcomes to his Office of Chemical Safety.

“The studies show what the studies show,” he stated, pledging full transparency with findings regardless of results. He advocated explaining outlier studies’ flaws—such as methodology, sample size, or exposure levels—to build trust and counter distrust.

Zeldin cited the dicamba decision as an example of urgency and transparency, approving it for two years through summer 2027 to support Southern cotton farmers while detailing risk mitigations in public releases. He urged farmers to follow guidelines to prevent issues like drift damage.The comments reflect the administration’s balance of supporting agriculture’s crop protection needs with science-based, accountable regulation.

Listen to Zeldin’s conversation with Wyant:
Agri-Pulse Summit Lee Zeldin 31:30