CLA president supports science-based crop protection regulations

CropLife America's (CLA) president and CEO Jay Vroom spoke at the Association of Southern Feed, Fertilizer and Pesticide Control Officials' (ASFFPCO) Annual Meeting this morning in Savannah, Ga. Presenting to approximately 50 of ASFFPCO's members and officers who represent agencies engaged in feed, fertilizer, and pesticide control work, Vroom discussed the significant contributions of crop protection products to agricultural progress over the past 50 years, and the importance of a sound regulatory framework for the crop protection industry.

"Agriculture has undergone several transformations during the past 50 years, with a driving focus on continuous improvements in conservation, safety and productivity," said Vroom. "Collaboration among regulators, industry and farmers has been a key step in producing food, fiber and renewable fuel safely and sustainably."

Discussing the role of regulators in agriculture further, Vroom called attention to the misperception of regulation as a negative part of agriculture. With a solid regulatory framework around the registration of new crop protection products and clear science-based safety standards, farmers and ranchers are provided with access to an array of modern agriculture products and techniques to better protect crops from pests, disease and weeds.

"The crop protection industry embraces the country's developed and robust system of Federal and state pesticide regulations," continued Vroom. "From the timely risk assessment licensing of products to the strict enforcement of crop protection safety standards, farmers are confident they are using the most effective products on the market and consumers are assured of the safety of the U.S. food supply. With the enforcement of pesticide use rules being delegated to individual states, the role of state pesticide control officials is absolutely vital to the integrity of the crop protection product sector."