Lawmakers press Forest Service on weed killer use

Democrats asked Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz to explain the agency's heavy use of glyphosate, alleged to have links to cancer.

June 10, 2026

A pair of Democratic lawmakers is pressing the Forest Service to respond to complaints that it’s overusing a weed killer that has sparked contentious debate about ties to cancer.

Reps. Chellie Pingree of Maine and Jared Huffman of California asked Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz in a letter June 4 to detail the agency’s use of glyphosate, a widely used herbicide that’s sparked legal disputes, competing health claims and policy-related conflicts within the Trump administration.

“Given the recent scientific disputes, retracted studies, and litigation surrounding glyphosate due to serious ecological and health harms, we are deeply concerned by the alleged use of the herbicide and lack of information available regarding current and planned use,” the lawmakers wrote.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has said glyphosate — sold under the brand name Roundup — probably causes cancer, and its maker, Bayer, is managing related lawsuits. But EPA and other countries' regulatory agencies say there’s no evidence of a connection and that glyphosate is safe when used according to label instructions.

Still, Pingree and Huffman said they were following up on reporting by Mother Jones about widespread use on national forests in California, where ground cleared by wildfire can quickly sprout with invasive weeds that complicate reforestation.

In their letter, they asked Schultz to describe how glyphosate is used, in what settings and on how much acreage. They also asked what precautions the agency takes to limit exposure to people and whether the Forest Service monitors residue after application.

“Given the public’s deep interest in the stewardship of our federally forested land, clear information on these questions would help build trust and ensure that management decisions reflect the best available science,” they said.

The Forest Service said in an email that chemical weed killers are essential to the long-term health of the nation’s forests, and that they’re applied in accordance with EPA regulations. In addition, the agency said, environmental analyses regarding herbicide use are public records available on project websites.

“Within national forests, herbicides are used as part of integrated vegetation management to support control of invasive species, reforestation, and reduce hazardous fuels. The decision to use any herbicide, including glyphosate, is made with careful consideration and adheres to federal and state regulations,” the agency said.

The Forest Service said it’s reviewing the lawmakers’ letter and declined to comment directly on it.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told Pingree at a House Agriculture Committee hearing last week that she’s discussed the issue internally with the Agriculture Department’s forest team.

“I’m tracking, I’m tracking,” Rollins said.

Glyphosate has a mixed reputation within the Trump administration. As an activist before joining the administration, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for years sought to limit its use due to the cancer concerns, and the “Make America Healthy Again” movement he’s aligned with is still moving in that direction.

But farm groups and pesticide manufacturers have fought back, and President Donald Trump has sought to boost glyphosate production through executive order.


By:  Marc Heller
Source: E&E Daily