(Reuters) — An environmental group has filed a legal petition with the U.S. Department of Agriculture seeking new rules that would enhance job protection for government scientists whose research questions the safety of farm chemicals.
The petition presses the department to adopt policies to prevent “political suppression or alteration of studies and to lay out clear procedures for investigating allegations of scientific misconduct.”
According to the petition, some scientists working for the federal government are finding their research restricted or censored when it conflicts with agribusiness industry interests.
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A USDA spokesperson said the agency values the integrity of its scientists and the quality of their research.
The department denied that it needed to strengthen its rules and said it has a system in place to protect it scientists. A spokesperson confirmed that eight complaints were filed from May 2013 to April 2014. Five of them were deemed worthy of investigation and one was deemed to have merit, the USDA spokesperson said.
The complaints were filed through a new protocol the USDA implemented in 2013 specifically to protect the integrity of its scientific research.
Jeff Ruch, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, said at least 10 USDA scientists have been investigated or faced other consequences arising from research that called into question the safety of certain agricultural chemicals.
