EPA’s $30 million low-chemical farming challenge could mark an important shift in how crops are grown and harvested across the United States. On July 1, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced plans for a national innovation challenge offering up to $30 million in prize funding to encourage practical alternatives to conventional chemical crop desiccation. Desiccants are pesticides sprayed shortly before harvest to dry crops evenly and speed up harvesting, but they can also leave chemical residues on food and expose farm workers to health risks.

Through this initiative, the EPA hopes to accelerate safer, science-based technologies that help farmers maintain productivity while reducing reliance on conventional pesticides. The agency is inviting researchers, growers, manufacturers, public health experts, and the wider public to help shape the challenge before it officially launches.

Why the EPA Is Looking for Alternatives

Crop desiccation has become a common practice for several agricultural crops, including wheat, barley, pulses, potatoes, oilseeds, and cotton.

Applying desiccants helps crops mature more uniformly, making harvesting faster and more efficient. However, because these chemicals are often sprayed just days before harvest, concerns remain about pesticide residues on food and repeated exposure for agricultural workers.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the initiative is designed to support farmers while strengthening food safety and environmental protection. The agency believes new technologies can reduce chemical dependence without affecting crop quality or farm productivity.

Supporting Farmers Through Innovation

Rather than banning current farming practices, the EPA is encouraging new ideas that are practical, affordable, and easy to adopt.

• The agency is looking for solutions that can maintain or even improve harvest readiness while lowering pesticide use.
• Farmers have made it clear that any replacement must work under real field conditions without increasing costs or reducing yields.

The EPA’s $30 million low-chemical farming challenge will help determine which ideas have the greatest potential through field testing and expert evaluation.

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What Alternatives Could Replace Chemical Desiccants?

The EPA has identified several promising approaches that could reduce dependence on conventional pesticides during the final stages of crop production.

These include:

• Improved crop scheduling and agronomic practices
• Mechanical or physical crop drying methods
• Biological or lower-risk crop protection products
• Precision agriculture technologies
• Post-harvest drying and conditioning innovations

Many of these approaches also align with regenerative agriculture, which focuses on improving soil health, reducing chemical inputs, and making farms more resilient over the long term.

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Public Input Will Shape the Program

Before launching the competition, the EPA has released a Request for Information (RFI) to gather ideas from across the agricultural sector.

The agency is seeking feedback from farmers and producer organizations,  agricultural researchers,  equipment manufacturers,  environmental organizations, public health experts, tribal governments, state and local agencies, and members of the public.

Officials also want suggestions on barriers that may prevent farmers from adopting new technologies, including equipment costs, supply chain challenges, research needs, and performance standards.

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A Step Toward More Sustainable Farming

The announcement comes as interest in sustainable agriculture continues to grow worldwide. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), agriculture accounts for nearly 70% of global freshwater withdrawals, while reducing unnecessary chemical inputs can help improve soil health, protect biodiversity, and lower environmental pollution.

The EPA says the challenge supports broader efforts to modernize American agriculture by combining scientific innovation with practical farming solutions. If successful, the initiative could provide growers with more options that protect both crop yields and public health.

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