US EPA plans to assess herbicide resistance issues

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to begin preliminary research to assess the EPA’s management and oversight of resistance issues related to herbicide tolerant genetically engineered crops. The review will include the Office of Pesticide Programs as well as other applicable headquarters and regional offices. 
 

The objectives of this research are to determine: 
 

(1) What processes and practices, including alternatives, has the EPA provided to delay herbicide resistance?
 

(2) What steps has the EPA taken to determine and validate the accurate risk to human health and the environment for approved pesticides to be used to combat herbicide resistant weeds? 
 

(3) Does the EPA independently collect and assess data on, and mitigate actual occurrences of, herbicide resistance in the field? 
 

The OIG plans to conduct work at EPA headquarters and at any other applicable sites. Applicable generally accepted government auditing standards will be used to conduct the project. The anticipated benefit of this project is a greater understanding of herbicide resistance which will lead to an enhancement of EPA’s herbicide resistance management and oversight.