Farmers and their families in Hebron, a rural town in Washington county, New York, are demanding a ban on the herbicide paraquat. Some residents believe the pesticide is causing Parkinson's disease in the area.
Gordon Chaplin, 81, a farmer who has owned his land for over 40 years, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease after experiencing symptoms for nearly a decade. He and his wife, Sarah Teale, believe the cause is paraquat, which was sprayed on their 200-acre cattle and corn farm for decades by a tenant farmer.
Teale has identified 14 people near their home in Hebron with Parkinson's disease, and dozens more in nearby towns. She refers to a seven-mile stretch of highway between east and west Hebron as "Parkinson's Valley."
Paraquat is banned in over 70 countries, including China, Brazil, and the entire European Union. In the US, 14 states introduced bills to restrict or ban its use this year, though only Vermont passed a ban. A similar bill in New York did not receive a vote due to a prolonged budget standoff.
Research has linked paraquat exposure to Parkinson's disease, with studies dating back to the late 1990s. A 2011 study found that farmers who sprayed paraquat were 2.5 times more likely to develop Parkinson's. A 2024 study indicated that people living or working near sprayed areas had double the risk.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Joe Biden's administration has stated it needs more time to examine the health risks of paraquat. The agency has warned of the herbicide's toxicity, noting that "one small accidental sip can be fatal," and requires special training for sprayers. Last November, the EPA announced it would require paraquat manufacturers to study how far its vapors travel, following new data suggesting they may travel miles farther than previously thought.