It’s always funny to see the reaction on someone’s face when you declare your support for funding an agency that regulates your industry. It usually results in a pause, a thoughtful look and ends with a variety of questions about my reasoning. As the CEO of the trade association representing the pesticide industry, I’ve been having these conversations a lot since I came to CropLife America. We need a strong and effective regulatory system to maintain public trust in our products. The truth is, however, that after more than a decade of inadequate funding, the EPA (more specifically the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP)) continues to struggle to maintain staff, meet statutory deadlines for the review of pesticides, and complete required consultations under the Endangered Species Act. This is an urgent need that must be addressed.
 
Recently, EPA leadership commented publicly on these challenges noting, “…[OPP has] experienced declining resources for many years” and in particular has “been losing staff, particularly seasoned and experienced staff, over the past 15 years.” The EPA is responsible for reviewing all pesticides—whether it is a product on your dog’s flea collar, a sanitizing product under your kitchen sink, or a chemical farmers use to control weeds and insects. When COVID struck, the EPA did need to reprioritize resources to review the many cleaning products designed to combat COVID. We are grateful for the EPA’s fast-action on these products, but more products to review with fewer people is not a long-term recipe for success.
 
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