Ag Groups Want FQPA Panel Extended

October 19, 1999

A coalition of more than 200 food and agriculture associations has called on Vice President Gore to extend the life of a committee that contributes to the process of implementing the Food Quality Protection Act. The Implementation Working Group is chaired by the American Farm Bureau Federation. The Tolerance Reassessment Advisory Committee (TRAC) could be disbanded after a final two days of meetings this week.

Gore initiated the TRAC process last year when he directed Environmental Protection Agency to use four principles when reassessing pesticides under the FQPA: sound science, transparency, transition for agriculture and public input.

"The (TRAC) process has worked," says Bill Spencer, citrus producer from Yuma, AZ, and the AFBF's representative on TRAC. "Before TRAC, there was no input from anyone -- USDA, growers or registrants. Now the process is very transparent and open."

Spencer says the TRAC process has allowed growers the chance to "sit down face to face with the agency and discuss" the registration process. But a two-day business meeting this week is not enough time to address more than a dozen unfinished agenda items, he adds. Recent EPA actions, such as one to restrict and/or ban the use of two agricultural chemicals, indicates the need to continue the TRAC process, says Spencer.

On Aug. 2, EPA restricted the use of azinphos methyl and methylparathion, two commonly used pesticides. AFBF accused EPA of making decisions before concluding the needed tests and risk assessments and before completing work on the "science policies" intended to guide EPA in key FQPA implementation decisions.

EPA's decision provided no reasonable transition for agriculture and offered no economic alternatives for fruit and vegetable producers, says AFBF.