Omnibus Bill Passes with Pesticide Registration Resources for U.S. EPA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congress reauthorized the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA) as a part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 that received final approval today. The reauthorization of PRIA has been a major priority for CropLife America (CLA) as one tool for strengthening and improving the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) pesticide registration process.

“The EPA’s scientists work diligently to comply with the multiple laws that govern pesticide registration, but in recent years, the agency has had fewer and fewer scientists available to do this work,” said Chris Novak, CLA President and CEO. “The reauthorization of PRIA is a first step in improving the efficiency of the pesticide registration process and in providing more certainty for farmers, consumers, and CropLife’s member companies that EPA will meet its statutory obligations.”

PRIA provides critically needed resources to the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP). The amended law supplements federal appropriations funding for OPP by increasing industry-paid fees that support pesticide registration, registration review, and other regulatory actions vital to providing farmers and consumers with new pesticide products and uses. This increased funding, coupled with a variety of process and information technology improvements, will allow OPP to increase staffing and better meet pesticide registration timeframes to give farmers, consumers, health care professionals, and pesticide stakeholders the tools they need to manage pests, microbes, and germs in and around their homes, farms, and communities. The bill will also increase funding for farm worker and clinician training programs and require Spanish translations of pesticide labels. The current version of PRIA was set to expire on September 30, 2023. The new law takes effect retroactively on October 1, 2022, and will expire on September 30, 2027.

In addition to passing PRIA, Congress also appropriated $140.45 million for OPP. This spending increase—up from $129.37 million in Fiscal 2022—marks the largest increase in PRIA appropriations in the history of PRIA and the highest funding level for the Agency in more than a decade. This is a first step in the right direction, but due to increased workload and declining resources at the Agency, CropLife America is committed to work with the Agency, Capitol Hill, and our partners in subsequent fiscal years to ensure the Agency is funded adequately.

“The passage of PRIA and the corresponding increase in EPA/OPP appropriations represents a collaborative effort between the pesticide industry, environmental advocacy groups, and farm organizations who worked together for the passage of these provisions. CropLife America is grateful to House and Senate leadership and our partners for ensuring broad and bipartisan support for PRIA,” added Novak. “Providing EPA with the resources needed to do its job is an important step, but systemic changes are needed for the agency to meet its obligations. We look forward to working with Congress, the EPA, and key stakeholders in implementing the new law and working to improve the pesticide registration and Endangered Species Act consultation processes.”