June 17, 1999

Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) has introduced a bill to allow U.S. farmers to request the use of pesticides already approved by foreign environmental agencies. If the Environmental Protection Agency finds significant reason to deny the use of a requested pesticide, it would retain the ability to do so.

Burns said the high cost of some pesticides in the United States is contributing to the current farm crisis by inflating farmers' overhead costs. Farmers in other countries, such as Canada, use pesticides substantially similar in content to those used in the United States, but foreign pesticides often are less expensive.

Under current law, U.S. producers cannot import those pesticides from other nations, and U.S. pesticide manufacturers cannot produce those pesticides. His bill would allow U.S. farmers, through state agriculture agencies, to request the use of pesticides approved in other nations. The EPA would have 60 days to review the scientific literature on those products, and after review either would approve or deny the use and domestic manufacture of the products.