Government Studies on Pesticide Exposure WASHINGTON (WUSF) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secretary Stephen Johnson's nomination was held up over a study that used humans to test pesticides. It was to use subjects recruited from the Jacksonville area. However, the EPA pulled the plug on the project. But, now, the Florida Health Department is looking into possible birth defects from pesticide exposure among farm-workers in Immokalee. © Copyright 2012, WUSF