Mike McCabe is the Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and I had the opportunity to speak to him recently. I asked about the EPA’s review of crop chemicals under the Food Quality Protection Act, and if the Administration would keep the promise to not cancel the use of a chemical, until a suitable replacement can be found.

McCABE: “We’re looking for a smooth transition to new chemicals, or a combination of chemicals and integrated pest management practices. And we are recognizing there is obviously impact on any producer that has been using certain pesticides in the past or however many years and that you can’t just quickly overnight undue what’s been done in the past.”

He says EPA is working closely with producers, and major educational institutions to find alternatives that can be iterated economically. Environmentalists have charged the EPA has caved in to the agricultural industry, which will delay or override human safety. McCabe says everyone involved complains. McCABE: “Because this is a tough law. This is difficult to implement, and we are changing the way that this country has done business for 50 years in the area of chemical production, and pesticide application.”

Gary Claus
Northwest Ag Information Network
Sponsored by Ag Services