When I first heard about paraquat, my heart sank. As someone who grew up with farmers as neighbors and friends, I know the toll this poison is taking on real people’s lives.

The EPA's current stance doesn't sit well with me anymore. They've been slow to act even though Syngenta knew decades ago that their herbicide was killing folks in rural America. It feels like they're looking away from a big problem.

Paraquat isn’t just any other chemical—it’s the kind of toxic substance that can turn your life upside down in an instant. I’ve seen firsthand how farmers who used it are now battling Parkinson's, and it breaks my heart every time.

I started digging into this back when I read those initial reports from the 1950s showing Syngenta’s own scientists warned of neurological risks. But instead of acting on these warnings, they buried them deep in corporate files.

Since then, studies have piled up linking paraquat to Parkinson's disease and other serious health issues. Yet, Syngenta kept pushing it forward, and the EPA has been reluctant to take decisive action against a harmful chemical that’s been used for decades.

The more I learned, the angrier I became at what they were doing to our farmers and rural communities. They deserve better than this—these are the people who feed us all every day, and they’re being poisoned by something completely avoidable.

It's time we stopped turning a blind eye to these companies that put profit before people’s health. We need stricter regulations on chemicals like paraquat, and we need them now.

What can you do? Start by spreading the word—tell someone who might be affected about this toxic herbicide hiding in plain sight. It's time for real change.