Well it finally happened!

One of our 50 states has decided to ban the herbicide that got no-till started in the early years before glyphosate came along. It happened in Vermont, a state with an extremely low acceptance of no-till that has decided to ban the use of paraquat amid growing concerns about links between paraquat exposure and Parkinson’s disease.

What is most interesting is that Syngenta — the longtime manufacturer of paraquat — announced in March that it would stop global production of the herbicide by the end of June 2026.

Because just one small sip of paraquat can be fatal and that there is no antidote, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for some time has ruled the burndown  herbicide can only be applied by certified applicators. 

More State Bans Coming

In the Northeast, lawmakers in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania are currently considering paraquat bans. Bills to ban  or limit paraquat use have already been introduced by legislators in Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Utah, Virginia, Washington and West Viprginia, according to the Council of State Governments

While paraquat usage is nowhere what it used to be for no-tillers before glyphosate came along in the late 1970s, it is still an important weapon in the weed control programs of many fruit producers.

Even though Syngenta is no longer selling the product in North America, paraquat remains legal in the United States. More than 70 countries, including China and members of the European Union, have banned it due to health and environmental concerns. But that hasn’t stopped Asian chemical companies from bringing generic off-brand versions into the states.

The First State

Vermont became the first state to ban paraquat after Governor Phil Scott in late May of 2026 signed legislation prohibiting its use. The law marks a historic turning point in the national debate surrounding paraquat and environmental contributors to Parkinson’s disease. The Vermont legislation takes effect on November 1 of 2026, but includes limited exemptions for several fruit crops through 2030.

The Vermont Department of Agriculture states the paraquat ban is due to mounting scientific evidence, over 8,000 pending lawsuits in U.S. courts and increasing pressure from lawmakers and public health advocates across the country. 

They maintain multiple studies have associated chronic exposure to paraquat with elevated Parkinson’s disease risk, particularly among agricultural workers and chemical applicators. Studies cited by the National Institutes of Health found paraquat users are approximately 2.5 times more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease.

Supporters of the Vermont law argue that agricultural productivity can be maintained through safer alternatives and modern farming practices.

History shows that paraquat was a burndown herbicide that played an essential part in the early adoption of no-till. Unfortunately it has become a herbicide with major health concerns.