GARNETT — Farm groups say a new study indicates that banning the weed-killer atrazine would cost jobs. A new study by University of Chicago economist Don Coursey indictates that the loss of atrazine would wipe out 21,000 to 48,000 jobs dependent on agriculture, involving just corn alone, said Jere White, executive director of the Kansas Corn Growers Association, Garnett. Atrazine has been an important part of corn, sorghum and sugar cane production for 50 years, he said. Finding a replacement would be difficult and expensive, he said. However, a group of water systems and cities, including some in Kansas, have filed a federal lawsuit against the major atrazine manufacturer, saying atrazine is contaminating their water supplies and increasing their costs of treating water.
Monday, July 12, 3 p.m.
