Kennedy to EPA: Approve Louisiana’s Efforts to Fight Infestation Plaguing Rice Crops

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, encouraged Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin to permit Louisiana to use a pesticide required to combat rice delphacid infestations.

Rice delphacids, invasive insects that originated in South and Central America, feed directly on rice plants and open the door to diseases like the rice hoja blanca virus.

Rice delphacids have had a profound impact on Texas rice production since 2015, and in 2025, they were spotted in Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas.

As a result, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry requested in December 2025 that the EPA approve the use of the pesticide buprofezin on an emergency basis to fight infestations.

“I write to express my concern regarding the emerging threat to Louisiana rice production posed by the rice delphacid. This invasive insect, originating in Central and South America, established itself in Texas in 2015 and has since been detected in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi. The pest damages rice by direct feeding, causing ‘hopperburn,’ and may also serve as a vector for rice hoja blanca virus, which can significantly reduce yields,” Kennedy began his letter to Zeldin.

“The economic timing of this threat is particularly concerning. In late 2025, the price of rice per hundred pounds fell to its lowest level in nearly a decade. At the same time, producers continue to face elevated input costs,” he explained.

“As you know, Section 18 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to consider applications for emergency exemptions for unregistered uses of pesticides to address emergency conditions. Access to timely and effective control measures is critical to ensuring producers can move forward with planting decisions and secure necessary financing,” the senator added.

“For these reasons, I respectfully encourage the timely consideration of the Section 18 request submitted by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry in December 2025. Ensuring that producers across the rice belt have the tools necessary to combat this growing threat is essential to protecting both farm viability and regional agricultural stability. I appreciate your attention to this important matter,” Kennedy concluded.

View Kennedy’s full letter here.