Only about 15 percent of people with Parkinson’s disease have a family history of the condition, meaning most cases are influenced by environmental factors—including exposure to paraquat. In testimony at the State House earlier this year, Larner Professor of Neurological Sciences James Boyd, M.D., a neurologist with UVM Medical Center, underscored that chronic exposure to paraquat can significantly increase a person’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

Alternatives to paraquat are widely available to farmers in Vermont. Paraquat is not available to non-commercial users.

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