Brazilian Congress to accelerate new pesticides law

Brazilian Deputies and Senators decided to accelerate the analysis and voting of the bill that modernizes the use and production of agrochemicals in Brazil (PL 6299/2002).

In a meeting held by the Parliamentary Agricultural Front (FPA), it was agreed that the parliamentarians will summarize the processing of the proposal by bringing together the Environment (CMA) and Agriculture (CRA) Committees of the Senate.

“We already have this type of process taking place in the analysis of other bills here in the Senate. We are trying to modernize and update the pesticide legislation so that the process does not get stuck in one of the committees. It is no use walking in one (commission) and stopping at another,” explained the Vice President of the FPA in the Federal Senate, Senator Zequinha Marinho (PL-PA), justifying the decision. He believed that consensus can speed up a project that has been debated in the National Congress for 20 years.

Senator Zequinha Marinho

The rapporteur of the Safer Food bill (PL 6299/2002), in the Chamber, deputy Luiz Nishimori (PSD-PR), judged the current moment as ideal for the issue to be approved in the Senate: “What we want is to create new molecules and new products because new diseases are emerging and we need to fight them. We need to produce more food with the end consumer in mind, bringing new, safer, and less toxic molecules. The advancement of our agriculture will bring food security to Brazil.”

Luiz Nishimori

The President of the Parliamentary Agricultural Front (FPA), Deputy Sérgio Souza (MDB-PR), emphasized that approval is fundamental for the rural productive sector. “The subject is clear and those who study it to understand the need and the context, realize the importance of the proposal.”

The Executive Director of the Brazilian Soy Association (APROSOJA), Fabrício Rosa, supported the acceleration of the bill, stating, “This is already a reality in several countries around the world. If we had this law passed, we would have the ability to transition production without harming the industry.”

Fabrício Rosa

The bill that deals with the modernization of the use and production of pesticides awaits an order from the President of the Senate, Senator Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), to be considered in the House.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)