Letter
We are writing to express our strong support for H.R.7266, a bill to amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to prohibit the local regulation of pesticide use, introduced by Representative Rodney Davis. We support science-based regulations, and H.R. 7266 ensures that oversight of pesticides is based on scientific expertise at the state and federal level.
H.R. 7266 ensures uniform protection of the public’s health, food supply, and property from pests by stating that oversight of pest control is best handled jointly by the lead agency in each state and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – the entities that have the technical expertise and resources to best evaluate a product.
On behalf of the organizations signed below, please consider supporting H.R. 7266 to protect Americans in the places where they live, work and play.
We strongly believe that the EPA and the state lead agency should be the only regulatory entities responsible for the registration, sale, and use of pest control products. H.R. 7266 clarifies the exclusive role of state lead agencies, preventing localities from imposing a patchwork of conflicting regulatory restrictions without scientific assessment, economic analysis, consideration of the rights of property owners to control pests, or responsibility of public health agencies to control disease vectors.
If passed, the bill reinforces the intention of FIFRA that only the state lead agency act as a coregulator in the state with EPA, ensuring that the highly technical work of determining how pest control products and services are used is made by those with technical knowledge. In states with preemption, the state lead agency already works with the EPA on any and all pesticide usage, sale, or distribution. The handful of states without a pesticide preemption law allow individual localities to regulate pesticides differently, creating unequal protection for citizens based on their zip code.
H.R. 7266 would ensure that no matter where an individual or business is within a state that they are guaranteed equal protection from the diseases, insects, weeds, and other pests that cause significant negative environmental, economic, and health impacts. Please consider supporting H.R. 7266 today.
Sincerely,
Agriculture Retailers Association
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Mosquito Control Association
AmericanHort
Association of American Pesticide Control Officials
Association of Structural Pest Control Regulatory Officials
Exotic Wildlife Association
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
National Agricultural Aviation Association
National Association of Landscape Professionals
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
National Christmas Tree Association
National Cotton Council
National Onion Association
National Pest Management Association
National Sorghum Producers
Treated Wood Council
Tree Care Industry Association
Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas
Alabama Pest Control Association
Arizona Crop Protection Association
Arizona Landscape Contractors Association
Arizona Nursery Association
Arizona Pest Professionals Organizations
Arkansas Pest Management Association
Association of Montana Turf Ornamental and Pest Professionals
Carolinas Golf Course Superintendent Association
Central Ohio Golf Course Superintendent Association
Certified Pest Control Operators Association of Florida
Chicagoland Association of Golf Course Superintendents
Colorado Association of Wheat Growers
Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association
Colorado Potato Legislative Association
Colorado Weed Management Association
Coloradoans for Responsible Pesticide Application
Connecticut Pest Control Association
Delaware Pest Control Association
East Tennessee Pest Control Association
Eastern Shore Association of Golf Course Superintendents
Far West Agribusiness Association
Florida Fertilizer & Agrichemical Association
Florida Nursery, Growers, & Landscape Association
Florida Pest Management Association
Georgia Agribusiness Council
Georgia Green Industry Association
Georgia Pest Control Association
Georgia Urban Ag Council
Golf Course Superintendent Association of Arkansas
Golf Course Superintendent Association of Cape Cod
Golf Course Superintendent Association of Central California
Golf Course Superintendent Association of New England
Golf Course Superintendent Association of New Jersey
Golf Course Superintendent Association of New York
Golf Course Superintendent Association of Northern California
Golf Course Superintendent Association of Southern California
Gulf Coast Golf Course Superintendent Association
Hawaii Golf Course Superintendent Association
Hawaii Pest Control Association
Hudson Valley Golf Course Superintendent Association
Idaho Golf Course Superintendent Association
Idaho Nursery and Landscape Association
Idaho Pest Management Association
Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association
Illinois Green Industry Association
Illinois Landscape Contractors Association
Illinois Pest Control Association
Indiana Pest Management Association
Inland Empire Golf Course Superintendent Association
Iowa Pest Management Association
Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association
Kansas Pest Control Association
Kentuckiana Golf Course Superintendent Association
Kentucky Pest Management Association
Lone Star Golf Course Superintendent Association
Long Island Golf Course Superintendent Association
Louisiana Ag Industries Association
Louisiana Pest Management Association
Maine Golf Course Superintendents Association
Maryland Nursery, Landscape, & Greenhouse Association
Maryland State Pest Control Association
Massachusetts Nursery & Landscape Association, Inc.
Miami Valley Golf Course Superintendent Association
Michigan Agri Business Association
Michigan Golf Course Superintendent Association
Michigan Green Industry Association
Michigan Nursery & Landscape Association
Michigan Pest Management Association
Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents
Midwest Association of Golf Course Superintendent Association
Minnesota Crop Production Retailers
Minnesota Golf Course Superintendent Association
Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association
Minnesota Pest Management Association
Mississippi Pest Control Association
Missouri Pest Management Association
Montana Agricultural Business Association
Montana Nursery & Landscape Association
Nebraska Golf Course Superintendent Association
Nebraska State Pest Control Association
Nevada Pest Management Association
New England Pest Management Association
New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association
New Jersey Nursery & Landscape Association
New Jersey Pest Management Association
New Mexico Pest Management Association
New York Pest Management Association
New York State Agribusiness Association
North Carolina Agribusiness Council
North Carolina Pest Management Association
Northwestern Illinois Golf Course Superintendent Association
Ohio AgriBusiness Association
Ohio Green Industry Association
Ohio Landscape Association
Ohio Pest Management Association
Oklahoma Pest Management Association
Oregon Association of Nurseries
Oregon Golf Course Superintendent Association
Palm Beach Golf Course Superintendent Association
Peaks & Prairies Golf Course Superintendent Association
Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association
Pennsylvania Pest Management Association
Pest Control Operators of California
Plains Cotton Growers, Inc.
Quad-State Turfgrass Association
Rhode Island Golf Course Superintendent Association
Rocky Mountain Agri-business Association
Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association
Sierra Nevada Golf Course Superintendent Association
South Carolina Fertilizer & AgriChemical Association
South Carolina Pest Control Association
South Dakota Agri-Business Association
South Texas Cotton & Grain Association
South Texas Golf Course Superintendent Association
Southern Illinois Golf Course Superintendent Association
Southern Nevada Golf Course Superintendents Association
Tennessee Pest Control Association
Texas Ag Industries Association
Texas Agricultural Aviation Association
Texas Agricultural Cooperative Council
Texas Citrus Mutual
Texas International Produce Association
Texas Nursery & Landscape Association
Texas Pest Control Association
Texas Vegetable Association
Texas Vegetation Management Association
Turfgrass Producers of Texas
Utah Golf Course Superintendent Association
Utah Pest Management Association
Virginia Golf Course Superintendent Association
Virginia Pest Management Association
Washington Friends of Farms & Forests
Washington State Pest Management Association
West Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association
West Virginia Pest Management Association
Western Washington Golf Course Superintendent Association
Western Wood Preservers Institute
Wisconsin Agri-business Association
Wisconsin Golf Course Superintendent Association
Wisconsin Landscape Contractors Association
Wisconsin Pest Control Association
