| Alex Avery, Director of Research and Education | | | | available information was scientifically flawed. None |
| at the Hudson Institute's Center for Global Food | | | | of [Hayes'] laboratory studies on atrazine were |
| Issues, criticized new research by University of | | | | conducted in accordance with standard protocols."" |
| California Berkeley professor Dr. Tyrone Hayes | | | | Avery's own thorough review of past research |
| alleging endocrine disruption in amphibians caused | | | | by Dr. Tyrone Hayes can be found at |
| by the popular herbicide atrazine. Prior research | | | | "Dr. Tyrone Hayes has spent more than a decade |
| by Dr. Hayes has come under scientific scrutiny | | | | allied with eco-activists peddling scare stories due |
| and criticism by directors of the Environmental | | | | to alleged health effects from atrazine. Yet |
| Protection Agency (EPA) for lacking basic scientific | | | | despite his decade-long search and after more |
| standards and lack of transparency. | | | | than 50 years of widespread use of this herbicide |
| Avery pointed to comments by Anne E. Lindsay, | | | | by farmers to minimize soil erosion while |
| former Deputy Director of EPA's Office of | | | | combating weeds, Hayes can offer no compelling |
| Pesticide Programs, testified in 2005 that Dr. | | | | real-world evidence that atrazine poses any |
| Hayes' ‘data are insufficient' to support his | | | | appreciable risk to amphibian populations |
| claims. She further noted: | | | | anywhere," Avery stated. "Aside from his own |
| " . . .[EPA] has never seen either the results from | | | | often-conflicting lab studies, other researchers |
| any independent investigator published in | | | | have not seen the effects Hayes claims to have |
| peer-reviewed scientific journals or the raw data | | | | found. Replication is the gold-standard of science |
| from Dr. Hayes' additional experiments that | | | | and Hayes' work has failed this test miserably." |
| confirm Dr. Hayes' conclusions." | | | | "Finally, it should be noted that Dr. Hayes is an |
| The EPA's independent Scientific Advisory Panel | | | | admitted anti-atrazine activist and has aligned |
| "believed strongly that all of the field studies | | | | himself closely with organizations including Natural |
| reviewed had serious flaws that limit their | | | | Resources Defense Council (NRDC), organizations |
| usefulness…" and "these problems render | | | | with a clear track record of campaigns against |
| interpretation of results problematic if not | | | | popular herbicides, large scale farm production and |
| impossible." | | | | effective tools that have revolutionized agriculture |
| Lindsay's testimony further invalidated any | | | | today," Avery concluded. |
| legitimacy of Hayes' work, saying "all of the | | | | |