Table of Contents
- From Soybean Lobbyist to EPA Regulator
- What Is Dicamba—and Why Is It Controversial?
- Revolving Door Raises Red Flags
- EPA’s New Dicamba Proposal Sparks Outcry
- What Happens Next?
- Sources
From Soybean Lobbyist to EPA Regulator
In a move critics call a textbook example of the “revolving door” between industry and government, Kyle Kunkler—once the top lobbyist for America’s soybean industry—now holds one of the most powerful pesticide oversight roles at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Just months after leaving his post at the American Soybean Association, where he championed the continued use of the drift-prone herbicide dicamba, Kunkler was appointed in June 2025 as the EPA’s deputy assistant administrator for pesticides. Less than a month later, the agency proposed new rules that would expand dicamba’s use—a decision that aligns closely with the soybean industry’s long-standing agenda.
What Is Dicamba—and Why Is It Controversial?
Dicamba is a powerful herbicide used primarily on genetically engineered cotton and soybean crops designed to resist it. While effective against “superweeds” that have evolved resistance to older chemicals like glyphosate, dicamba is highly volatile. It often drifts off-target, damaging neighboring crops, wild plants, and even trees.
The chemical’s volatility has led to thousands of complaints from farmers and environmental groups. In one extreme case in 2016, a dicamba-related dispute between Arkansas farmers escalated into a fatal shooting.
Federal courts have twice blocked dicamba use in recent years, citing insufficient environmental review. Yet the EPA’s latest proposal—now under Kunkler’s leadership—seeks to reinstate and broaden its application.
Revolving Door Raises Red Flags
Kunkler isn’t alone. He’s one of four former industry lobbyists or executives now running the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs. Environmental advocates say this concentration of industry insiders compromises regulatory integrity.
“It’s incredible—the entire leadership of that office comes directly from industry,” said Lori Ann Burd, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, which has previously sued the EPA over dicamba approvals.
While serving as a lobbyist, Kunkler once described negotiations with regulators as a “tennis match” filled with “rocketing volleys,” boasting of his success in keeping dicamba on the market. Now, he’s the one setting the rules.
EPA’s New Dicamba Proposal Sparks Outcry
The EPA’s July 2025 proposal would allow continued use of dicamba-based herbicides through 2030, despite documented ecological harm and legal setbacks. Critics argue the plan ignores scientific consensus and prioritizes agribusiness profits over public and environmental health.
Environmental groups warn that expanded dicamba use could accelerate biodiversity loss, harm pollinators, and further destabilize rural communities already reeling from chemical drift disputes.
“This isn’t regulation—it’s rubber-stamping industry demands,” said one policy analyst who requested anonymity due to ongoing advocacy work.
What Happens Next?
The EPA is currently accepting public comments on the dicamba proposal, with a final rule expected by early 2026. Legal challenges are all but guaranteed if the rule moves forward in its current form.
Meanwhile, watchdog organizations are calling for greater transparency and ethics reform to prevent future regulatory capture. For now, the appointment of Kyle Kunkler stands as a stark symbol of how deeply agribusiness influence runs in federal pesticide policy.
