March 11, 2026Company to Cease Production of Toxic Herbicide Banned in More Than 70 Countries

Multinational agriculture technology company Syngenta announced last Tuesday (March 3) that it will cease global production of the herbicide paraquat by the end of June, including at its facility in Iberville Parish. U.S. farmers commonly use the highly toxic paraquat for weed control. Much of the paraquat used by the farmers enters the country through New Orleans, according to a recent report by Coming Clean, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas and Pesticide Action and Agroecology Network. Along the way, workers at the ports and in the company’s facilities risk exposure to the chemical. A 2017 Environmental Protection Agency memo noted that paraquat is so toxic that “one sip can kill,” and that even minimal contact can cause serious injury to the eyes and skin. Inhaling paraquat can also cause lung damage, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Exposure to the chemical is associated with Parkinson’s disease