Andrea Joy Campbell: “today I submit a Senate Concurrent Resolution which addresses the controversy surrounding the Food Quality Protection…”

“today I submit a Senate Concurrent Resolution which addresses the controversy surrounding the Food Quality Protection Act. I am pleased to be joined today by my colleagues, Senators Conrad, Brownback, Hutchison, Frist, Gramm of Texas, Landrieu, and Hutchinson who are original cosponsors of the resolution. The Food Quality Protection Act directs the EPA to base its tolerance review decisions pertaining to pesticides on reliable data that is currently available. Or, the EPA can require the development of new data through the data call-in provisions of the Food Quality Protection Act. In order to meet the review deadlines, the EPA is basing some critical decisions on assumptions, which are primarily EPA's preliminary findings. This could lead to needless and questionable product cancellations, and have a significant impact on the agricultural industry. It is essential that the EPA's insect tolerance assessment process be based on sound scientific data. If the EPA's current approach to pesticide risk assessments is not modified, it is likely that many uses of crop protection products will be unjustifiably terminated. The sudden adoption of new restrictions of certain pesticide applications and products could needlessly cripple a host of agricultural commodities, including corn; soybeans; wheat; rice; cotton; and dozens of fruit and vegetable crops.”