Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Senate on May 15 gave its final approval to H.739 and the House concurred on May 20. The landmark legislation to ban the toxic pesticide paraquat, which is linked to Parkinson’s disease. Governor Phil Scott signed the bill into law on Tuesday, May 26. The bill passed through the Legislature without requiring a roll call vote.
Health and environmental advocates celebrated its enactment to protect farmworkers, rural communities, and Vermont families. The weed killer is used in very limited amounts now in Vermont, typically in orchards and on berry farms. The law will end the sale and use of paraquat in November 2026, with a phased transition for certain crops with state permission until a full statewide ban takes effect at the end of December 2030.
The Environmental Working Group, based in Washington, DC, praised Vermont for becoming the first state in the nation to ban the use and sale of paraquat, one of the most toxic herbicides in the U.S., and one that’s linked to Parkinson’s disease and other serious health harms.
Gov. Phil Scott (R) signed the landmark legislation after the state Legislature passed it with strong bipartisan support. The new law makes Vermont the first to enact a statewide prohibition on the toxic weedkiller.
“We applaud Governor Scott and the champions in the legislature that made this moment possible that will protect all Vermonters, including farmers and children, from being exposed to this dangerous chemical,” said EWG Legislative Director Geoff Horsfield.
“With Vermont leading the way, states across the country now have a clear path to end the use of one of the most toxic herbicides still on the market,” said Horsfield. “This is a turning point in the effort to protect public health from a chemical that has been tied to devastating neurological harm.”
State Rep. Esme Cole (D-Windsor) and state Sen. Martine Gulick (D-Chittenden-Central District) championed their chambers’ versions of the bills.
EWG would also like to thank the leading organizations that supported the bill, including Vermont Public Interest Research Group, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, Parkinson’s Foundation, the American Parkinson Disease Association, the Vermont Natural Resources Council and others.
Paraquat is banned in more than 70 countries yet remains widely used across U.S. agriculture.
Vermont’s action is expected to intensify pressure on state policymakers throughout the country to restrict or eliminate use of the herbicide. Lawmakers in the nearby states of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania are currently debating similar proposals.
“We urge elected leaders in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and other states to move forward with their respective plans to ban the toxic weedkiller and build momentum to push more states to take action,” he added.
Several other states have introduced bills to ban paraquat, and California is considering new regulatory restrictions. These efforts are clear signs of escalating concern over the chemical’s well-documented health risks.
A growing body of research links exposure to an increased risk of Parkinson's disease, with additional evidence pointing to other serious health harms, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma and childhood leukemia.
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.
5.26.26. WASHINGTON – The Environmental Working Group
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