// Definition
A 2022 EPA cease-and-desist action against Dragonfly Earth Medicine claiming that natural botanical ingredients (nettles, alfalfa, kelp) in nutrient products must be registered as pesticides if any health, biodynamic, or plant well-being claims are made. The EPA stated they had been monitoring the company for over two years and that using words like 'healthy' or 'biodynamic' in connection with botanical nutrients crosses into pesticide/fertilizer regulatory territory.
// From the Episode
Josh and Kelly from Dragonfly Earth Medicine described this as an attempt to control language (compelling speech) and co-opt natural farming education. They noted the irony that the EPA used DEM's own publicly shared educational content to build their case. The couple reframed the obstacle as an opportunity, pivoting toward plant medicine therapy work. This case exemplifies the tension between natural/regenerative farming movements and industrial regulatory frameworks designed for synthetic inputs.
// Source
Ep. 175 HC 4.0 Ep 6 →