Published August 18, 2026 at 4:00 AM CDT

Midwest lawmakers have tried and failed to ban paraquat, a toxic weedkiller that’s been tied to Parkinson’s disease. One state senator plans to keep fighting. Plus: The federal government has released new rules controlling how farmers can use the controversial herbicide dicamba.

Both Kansas and Missouri have high rates of mortality from Parkinson’s, a disease linked to paraquat. One Missouri lawmaker tried to pass a measure banning the substance. But as the Midwest Newsroom’s Luke Nozicka reports, their efforts stalled in 2026.

The Environmental Protection Agency released new rules regulating the controversial herbicide dicamba earlier this year. While it can be an effective tool for farmers to control weeds, it can also drift in the wind and kill other plants. Harvest Public Media’s Will Bauer reports.

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