The Food Quality

Protection Act of 1996By: Jimmy Abele

Background

In 1991, the EPA was sued by various environmental groups for being in violation of Delaney Clause (i.e. that they were not enforcing the ban on any trace of carcinogenic pesticides). In 1995 the coalition of groups won, and in response congress developed legislation to suit those on both sides (e.g. farmers and environmental groups) of the issue.

FQPA Details

This Act was passed unanimously by Congress in 1996 and was signed into law on August third of that year. This act created a standard that the EPA was to establish new science policies to assess risk and to take into account pesticide harm for infants and children. Reduced-risk pesticides (those that had low-toxicity and low potential groundwater contamination) were to be expedited. Special consideration was to be given to smaller farms that didn’t have the monetary resources to support the change, and surveys to track food consumption were mandated. as well as the collection of pesticide residue. Additionally, it increased the amount of tolerance fees and established an integrated pest management education/implementation system. It encouraged syncing U.S. standards with national standards, and required the EPA to distribute food safety brochures and produce annual progress reports. This act helped reform food safety and pesticide laws, and changed U.S. agriculture into a more eco-friendly process.