The Department of Justice decided to request a rehearing of the chlorpyrifos case after a court directed the Environmental Protection Agency to ban the pesticide.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue applauded the ruling and says the USDA has pointed out flaws in the draft assessments to which the court based its opinion to revoke tolerances and cancel registrations for the pesticide.
The EPA claims scientific evidence does not indicate the need for a total ban on use.
Perdue wants the EPA to continue an ongoing registration review.
The USDA says chlorpyrifos is used on about 50 crops grown in the U.S. For some crops and target pests, they say there are no viable alternatives.
Opponents of the product say the pesticide can harm the development of children's brains.