Safety & Regulation

The crop protection industry is one of the most highly-regulated industries in America today.

The makers and manufacturers of crop protection products work closely with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal and state regulatory agencies, from initial research to the final product label with instructions for use. Millions of dollars and years of research are required before a product is registered by the EPA for sale and use. As part of this intensive process, each product is also carefully studied to ensure human safety, efficacy against pest problems and minimal impact on the environment.

The use and development of crop protection products are regulated by the EPA primarily under two federal laws:

The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA):

• Under FIFRA, EPA ensures that each pesticide “will perform its intended function without unreasonable adverse effects on the environment.”

The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA):

• FFDCA further requires EPA to determine “that there is a reasonable certainty that no harm will result from aggregate exposure to the pesticide chemical residue.”

Each potential product is subjected to more than 120 health, safety and environmental tests before being registered for use by the EPA. The scientific and administrative branches of EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs will analyze thousands of pages of test data on the potential new product. Only after these data pass rigorous scrutiny and risk assessments is the product registered for use. In addition, Congress has regularly updated pesticide laws to make certain that products are also reviewed on a continual basis and meet current scientific and regulatory standards.

For more information on the development of crop protection products and the regulatory framework guiding the industry, please download From Lab to Label: Innovations That Feed the World.