{"id":41833,"date":"2026-06-17T00:01:04","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T04:01:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/?p=41833"},"modified":"2026-06-16T16:13:51","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T20:13:51","slug":"more-data-links-endocrine-disrupting-pesticides-to-increase-in-u-s-breast-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2026\/06\/more-data-links-endocrine-disrupting-pesticides-to-increase-in-u-s-breast-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"More Data Links Endocrine-Disrupting Pesticides to Increase in U.S. Breast Cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Beyond Pesticides<\/em>, June 17, 2026) A study out of Michigan State University reviews robust county-level data on pesticide use and breast cancer incidence rates, determining that there are \u201cmodest positive associations\u201d in rural counties in the United States. The findings were published in Cancer Causes & Control<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Public health and environmental advocates cite the proliferation of published, peer-reviewed research, like this new study, in support of a societal imperative to eliminate harmful agrichemicals and transition to organic practices. The U.S. and countries worldwide have standards for certified organic production, similar to the U.S. Organic Foods Production Act<\/a><\/em>, that establish required practices, a national list of allowed and prohibited substances, public oversight and a stakeholder board with authority over allowed inputs, certification and inspection of on-farm practices, and an enforcement system to ensure standards compliance. There is limited federal investment in growing the organic sector, despite its productivity, profitability, and protection of healthy ecosystems. The study adds to the body of science<\/a> that illustrates dramatic deficiencies in the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act<\/em> (FIFRA) under which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal statutes fall short in addressing the complex exposure patterns and adverse human and environmental effects<\/a>, while allowing widespread harmful pesticide uses, including those that are currently banned in the European Union, Brazil, Japan, among others.<\/p>\n

Methodology and Main Findings<\/h2>\n

The study included 2,457 counties after excluding counties with missing pesticide (77 counties) or breast cancer incidence data (609 counties, including entire states such as Minnesota, Virginia, Kansas, and Nevada). Researchers used data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Pesticide National Synthesis Project, which estimates county-level use of agricultural pesticides in kilograms. Cumulative average use data between 2001 and 2015 were used, covering 38 pesticides grouped into eight chemical classes: carbamates, neonicotinoids, organochlorines, organophosphates, phosphonates, pyrethroids, triazines, and miscellaneous:<\/p>\n