Since September 23, 2026, the French Ministry of Agriculture has authorized the use of the herbicide Avadex Factor, which contains the chemical triallate, through a 120-day derogation for winter barley crops. This temporary approval allows the product to be used from September 23, 2026, to January 21, 2027, in barley fields. The herbicide is marketed by the American company Gowan and was banned in France in 2023 due to concerns about its impact on health and the environment. Despite the previous ban, the herbicide has now received a temporary authorization, raising questions about the balance between agricultural needs and environmental safety. In 2023, the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (Anses) warned that triallate posed an "unacceptable risk of groundwater contamination." The chemical can break down into diisopropylamine, which could exceed safe levels in drinking water, according to regulatory models. Anses also highlighted that the data available do not rule out potential harmful effects on consumers or risks to non-target arthropods, such as insects and spiders. Additionally, triallate is known to be highly toxic to aquatic organisms and has raised concerns about its potential to cause genetic damage in humans. The derogation includes specific restrictions, such as prohibiting the application of the herbicide near protected drinking water sources and requiring a 20-meter buffer zone around water points. The Ministry of Agriculture cited an "absolute necessity for barley cultivation, which is in immediate danger" as the reason for the authorization. This decision came despite negative assessments from Anses and the European Food Safety Authority (Efsa), both of which had previously raised concerns about the herbicide's safety. The General Association of Wheat and Other Cereals Producers (AGPB), linked to the major agricultural union FNSEA, requested the derogation due to increasing weed resistance and a shrinking range of available weed control solutions. The Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard, encouraged cereal producers to submit derogation requests during a speech at the AGPB's annual congress in Nancy on May 26, 2026. Meanwhile, the environmental group Générations futures plans to file a lawsuit to annul the derogation, following its previous legal challenges against similar pesticide approvals in France. The derogation was granted under a streamlined "120 days" emergency procedure, which allows the Ministry of Agriculture to approve banned substances based on simplified documentation. A protest against pesticide use took place in Paris on July 20, 2026, reflecting the growing public concern over the environmental and health impacts of such chemicals.