More than 140 environmental and health advocacy groups along with 35 medical and public health professionals have submitted letters to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack urging the agency to reject an application for the approval of herbicide and herbicide resistant crops submitted by Dow AgroSciences.

Consumer advocacy group, The Cornucopia Institute, is calling for concerned citizens to sign a petition in hopes of blocking Dow Chemical, the manufacturer of 2,4-D— toxic herbicide found in Agent Orange—that is waiting on approval from the USDA for its genetically engineered strain of corn resistant to the controversial chemical.