Minnesota Paraquat Bills

Join the Policy & Advocacy Committee and Planetary Health Task Force to learn about bills introduced this legislative session banning Paraquat - a pesticide that has been linked to an increased risk of Parkinson's disease. There are over 21,000 Minnesotan’s living with Parkinson’s disease.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) is the world’s largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s research, having awarded more than $2.5 billion in research since its founding in 2000. Parkinson’s is the fastest-growing and second most common neurodegenerative disease in the world, underscoring the urgent need for both scientific advancement and prevention strategies.

In addition to funding and advocating for research, MJFF works to address environmental risk factors associated with Parkinson’s disease. A key focus of this effort is the neurotoxic herbicide paraquat, which has been banned in more than 70 countries but remains in use in all 50 states. Decades of research have linked paraquat exposure to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, including NIH-supported findings showing that individuals who handle paraquat are 2.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Through this work, MJFF is committed not only to accelerating breakthroughs in treatment and cures, but also to reducing preventable risks and protecting public health.

Speaker:

Grant Niver serves as Senior State Government Relations Manager for the Central United States at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF).

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The MPHA Policy and Advocacy Committee meets the second Tuesday of each month from 12:00 - 1:00 pm CT. Anyone interested is welcome to join. The committee is co-chaired by Madeline Turbes. Learn more about the committee here.