Page 74 - MFB State Annual Meeting 2018 -- RESOLUTIONS BOOK

AFBF Policies – Page 18
#336 Agricultural Chemicals (amendments at line 7.6.3)
1. Agricultural chemicals are important in continuing to supply consumers with an abundant, safe, nutritious, high quality and reasonably priced food supply. We are committed to continuing the use of agricultural chemicals in a safe and judicious manner so as to protect the health and safety of producers, our employees, our families, our communities and the environment.
2. We encourage people using pesticides for nonagricultural purposes to become better educated on the safe application of these products.
3. We support access to critical pesticides used for crop and livestock production, along with increased funding for research on alternative crop and livestock protection tools. We request the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and USDA increase cooperation and expedite registration of additional new crop protection tools and traits.
4. We will work with and encourage the agricultural chemical industry through its advertising to present a positive and professional image of farmers and agriculture to the general public.
5. We encourage state control of container disposal and recycling programs.
6. Regulation
6.1. We believe implementation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide
and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) should be based on credible scientific information in order to benefit farmers, the environment and the public and should be the sole federal regulatory authority over pesticides.
6.2. The United States, Canada and Mexico should harmonize registration guidelines, labeling requirements and accept registration material for agricultural pesticides from those countries.
6.3. We encourage testing of pesticides based on realistic levels of exposure or consumption.
6.4. We believe that when a pesticide product receives an emergency use exemption under Section 18 of FIFRA, the state administering the pesticide provisions where the exemption was issued be authorized to re-issue that emergency use until a full FIFRA assessment is completed.
6.5. We urge that risk/benefits be considered when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or other agencies make a determination to restrict or cancel pesticides or agrichemicals.
6.6. EPA should consider actual use data in its risk assessment process to support pesticide registrations and avoid decisions based on worst case assumptions. EPA should not assume that farmers apply pesticides at the maximum dosage rates or frequency of application as the label will allow.
6.7. USDA and EPA should work cooperatively to find alternatives for pesticides that, as a result of regulatory action, have lost registrations and uses. We encourage the development of voluntary Pest Management Strategic Plans.
6.8. We also request re-evaluation of previously canceled pesticides based on current scientific data.
6.9. USDA should expand its scientific capabilities to better serve as a full partner with EPA in pesticide regulatory activities. EPA should be required to strengthen and take more seriously its required consultation with USDA.
6.10. EPA should be able to contract with USDA to perform the testing for pesticide residues.
6.11. Pesticide manufacturers and formulators should be held responsible for the safety and efficacy of crop protection products, if the chemical is used in accordance with the label.
6.12. Atrazine, Acetachlor and Simazine are effective, economical crop protection chemicals that must continue to be available to farmers.
6.13. Provisions for experimental use, emergency exemptions and state
special use registration are particularly important until federal
registration is completed.
6.14. We support:
6.14.1. Legislation that would limit authority for pesticide regulation solely to federal and state governments;
6.14.2. Adoption of a negligible risk standard;