In Texas' Rio Grande Valley, the sound of crop-dusting aircraft is enough to send some nearby residents inside.
For neuroscientist Kelsey Baker, who spoke with Public Health Watch, the worry is not just about the odor of chemicals in the air. It is the growing body of research connecting pesticide exposure to Parkinson's disease.
According to the outlet, the concern centers in part on a weed killer, paraquat, that is still used extensively in the United States even though at least 74 countries have banned it, discontinued it, or otherwise removed it from use.
The Environmental Protection Agency has found that paraquat, which has been linked to Parkinson's, could travel through the air at unsafe levels 20 miles from its initial application, endangering countless people who live near farms.
Since studying the connection between Parkinson's and paraquat, Baker told Public Health Watch that "in hindsight, would I have chosen where I live if I knew as much as I know now? Probably not."
Researchers say the risk has also been observed in population studies. UCLA epidemiologist Dr. Beate Ritz found that people who lived or worked for long periods near places treated with paraquat had about a 90% higher risk of Parkinson's, per MyRGV.com, which covered this topic alongside Public Health Watch.
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The public health stakes are significant because Parkinson's has no cure, is often difficult to diagnose, and can impair movement, balance, speech, mood, and a person's ability to live independently.
For those who live near farms, the fear is that exposure could be occurring years before they have any idea they are at risk.
New EPA calculations released last year indicate that paraquat may drift farther than previously believed. Earlier, the agency had said there was not enough evidence to connect human Parkinson's cases to exposure from U.S. pesticide use.
But it now says real-world testing is needed, a process that could take up to two years, according to EPA estimates. While that plays out, advocacy organizations and environmental attorneys are pressing to stop paraquat use to protect vulnerable Americans.
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