RISE is pleased omnibus bill passes with pesticide registration resources for U.S. EPA

RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment) was pleased to see congressional reauthorization of the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA 5) was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Acts of 2023, which was passed by the House of Representatives today and the Senate yesterday.

"Reauthorizing PRIA has been a priority for RISE, as we work to strengthen the federal pesticide regulatory process and ensure our industry can continue to reliably deliver the pest control and plant health solutions necessary for protecting public health and safety, maintaining green spaces and infrastructure, and keeping shared spaces pest-free," said Megan Provost, RISE President.

PRIA provides necessary resources to the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP). The legislation will supplement annual appropriations for OPP with additional funding from industry-paid fees that support pesticide registration, registration review, and other regulatory actions important to promoting product innovation.

The much-needed OPP funding, coupled with a variety of process and information technology improvements, will allow OPP to increase staffing and better meet registration and registration review timeframes to give consumers and applicators the tools they need to manage pests in and around our homes, communities, and the environment.

The bill will also increase funding for farm worker and clinician training programs and require Spanish translations of pesticide labels within set timeframes. PRIA 5 passed one year early, before the expiration of PRIA 4 on September 30, 2023, takes effect retroactively on October 1, 2022, and expires in five years on September 30, 2027.

"Having bipartisan congressional support to reauthorize PRIA, along with support for its provisions from non-governmental (NGO) environmental groups, has delivered greater regulatory predictability for our members, provided resources for important pesticide applicator programs, and enhances transparency in the pesticide regulatory process" added Provost.

First passed in 2004, the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act set up a fee-for-service program for pesticide manufacturers that funds part of EPA's pesticide registration program. From its inception, PRIA has had the support of pesticide manufacturers, environmental NGOs, applicators, and members of Congress.

About RISE:

RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment) is the national trade association representing manufacturers, formulators, distributors and other industry leaders in the specialty pesticide and fertilizer industry. Visit the RISE website at www.pestfacts.org for more information.