Mar 21, 2019

Growers get pesticide stability with PRIA law extension

President Donald Trump recently signed a pesticide registration bill into law that should provide stability in that area for speciality crop growers.

The Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act of 2018 (PRIA 4) was signed March 8 after the previous version had expired in February. Essentially, PRIA authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to collect review fees from pesticide producers seeking registration for their crop protection products.

“Without (PRIA), the agency has no access to the necessary funds to carry-out these expensive, detailed regulatory actions,” said Kam Quarles, the National Potato Council’s Vice President of Public Policy. “It is a common-sense piece of legislation that unfortunately became stalled due to larger political issues. We are very pleased that a bipartisan agreement was reached to finally resume these important processes so producers can have access to the vital tools they need.”

Cherry Marketing Institute President Phil Korson said PRIA is a boon for specialty crop growers who often struggle to get access to the pesticides they need. PRIA’s fee structure allows the EPA to expedite pesticide registrations.

“It’s good news for specialty crops growers, who are always short on labels,” he said. “We want those labels to get through the (EPA) in an expedited way.”

PRIA received bi-partisan support, with both Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., publicly supporting the president’s signing of the bill.

“I’m pleased the president acted to sign this long-overdue legislation into law to help farmers protect their crops while also providing important protections for farm workers and their families,” Stabenow said.

PRIA 4 is for five years and will expire in 2023.