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May 4, 2001
Dear Member of Congress: The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), representing the commissioners, secretaries, and directors of agriculture in the fifty states and four territories, urges you to support the "Pesticide Harmonization Act" currently before Congress. Estimates show that our farmers pay 40 to 50 percent more than their Canadian counterparts for identical crop protection products. This disparity exists, even though these farmers are competing in the same marketplace. The "Pesticide Harmonization Act" (H.R. 1084 and S. 532) amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to grant states the authority to issue state registrations for certain Canadian pesticides. The Act will only apply to pesticides whose composition is identical or substantially similar to a U.S. domestically-registered pesticide. This legislation was written with the cooperation of the Environmental Protection Agency, who administers FIFRA. It will not weaken or endanger the current registration process for domestic pesticides nor will it allow unsafe pesticides to enter our markets. The Pesticide Harmonization
Act will provide our farmers with a level playing field and equal access
to crop protection products currently available to their counterparts
in Canada. We urge you to cosponsor this important legislation. Sincerely, Leon
C. Graves, Commissioner |