Brent Baldwin

Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association President

St. Thomas

As we begin another planting season, I’m reminded of how important it is for farmers like us to have the tools we need to grow our crops. Without them, our farms would fall behind and struggle to make ends meet.

Thanks to our lawmakers passing and Gov. Armstrong for signing HB 1318, we don’t have to worry about losing access to critical crop protection tools. This law reinforces what we already know – North Dakota lawmakers stand firmly on the side of North Dakota agriculture.

This bill will curb frivolous lawsuits brought against safe EPA-approved pesticides. That means farmers will continue to have access to American-made crop protection tools. We need these tools to manage invasive pests, control weeds, and combat soil erosion. They are essential to protecting crop yields, preserving soil health, and ensuring a stable, affordable food supply for all Americans.

We are proud that North Dakota is the first state in the nation to sign this bill into law. Thanks to our legislators’ leadership, North Dakota is setting the standard for safeguarding crop protection and setting the example for other states to follow. By passing this bill, the Peace Garden State has shown that our lawmakers stand up for the hardworking men and women that keep our economy humming and our food supply stable, and don’t bow to out-of-state anti-agriculture special interests.

Thanks to our legislators’ commitment to protecting agriculture and sound science, we can continue to do what we do best: Provide affordable food for our fellow Americans.