Call to Action for PRIA Funding
As an ag input industry, our voices need to be heard. On several occasions, IFCA has been to Washington DC for visits on capitol hill when a follow up call to action is needed. Now is that time for that call to action! One of the most critical issues affecting our members is adequate funding for EPA to ensure crop production products are timely registered to remain in the market. IFCA has partnered with CropLife America in this effort and now is the opportunity for the IFCA members to communicate our concerns. Take a moment and follow the link to communicate with your elected representatives.
Please send an email to your Representative and Senators today, asking them to support the House funded $158 million for EPA by completing our action alert: Encourage Congress to Support FY23 PRIA Funding. IFCA will be reaching out to the Illinois congressional delegation on this issue this week. CropLife has made it convenient for you to send a message to your elected representatives and senators by clicking here. The comments are auto-generated, just include your name, email address & then select 'send message'.
The EPA’s lack of funding for pesticide registrations is not a new issue. In fact, more than twenty years ago, this shortfall resulted in our industry stepping up to secure passage of the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA). PRIA created a fee for service program that today provides EPA with more than $50 million in user fees annually to support the staff needed for the pesticide review process. The program is an example of a public-private partnership that works, but we need a larger federal investment to match increases in industry funding.
The EPA conducted a resource assessment earlier this year that concluded the agency’s Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) needs more than $316 million annually to comply with statutory requirements including PRIA timelines, registration review, and Endangered Species Act consultations. The current fiscal year has only $129 million for OPP, but the U.S. House appropriations bill included $158 million—a 22% increase. The Senate recommendation only includes $140 million. While we are encouraged with increases in both chambers, we need your outreach to Capitol Hill to support the House’s $158 million to ensure EPA can get new, innovative pesticide technologies to market.