93-197 Y 4. Ag8: In 7 EXTENSION OF THE FEDERAL INSECTICIDE, FUNGICIDE, AND RODENTICIDE ACT HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND GENERAL LEGISLATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON UNITED STATES SENATE NINETY-FIFTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION JUNE 8 AND 9, 1977 Printed for the use of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry SUBCOMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND GENERAL LEGISLATION PATRICK J. LEAHY, Vermont, Chairman JAMES B. ALLEN, Alabama JAMES O. EASTLAND, Mississippi RICHARD B. STONE, Florida HERMAN E. TALMADGE, Georgia RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana MILTON R. YOUNG, North Dakota S. I. HAYAKAWA, California (II) CONTENTS Alikonis, Robert J., executive secretary and general counsel, Pesticide Jahn, David, United Pesticide Formulators & Distributors Association--- Barr, John S. III, chairman, technical committee, National Cotton Council, accompanied by Dr. Jim Brown, production technology manager___. Buffaloe, William, president, American Association of Pesticide Control Hall, John F., vice president, resource and environment, National Forest Products Association, accompanied by Bruce Grefrath, manager, environ- Spear, Dr. Philip J., acting executive director, National Pest Control Asso- Griffin, Dana K., president, International Sanitary Supply Association, ac- companied by Scott C. Whitney, professor environmental law, William and Mary College, and Joseph J. Lyman__. Leahy, Hon. Patrick J., a U.S. Senator from Vermont, opening statement_ CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF WITNESSES Costle, Hon. Douglas M., Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency, Nielson, Dr. James, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Conservation, Re- search, and Education, U.S. Department of Agriculture; accompanied by Errett Deck, Coordinator of Environmental Quality Activities.... Datt, John C., American Farm Bureau Federation_ Lemin, Dr. Alan J., head of special research products, Upjohn, Kalamazoo, Mich., and Dr. John P. Mahlstede, director of the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa, representing the Agricultural Re- Early, Dr. Jack D.. president, National Agricultural Chemicals Associa- tion; accompanied by K. Ross Fitzsimmons, chairman of the board, and Engel, Ralph, president, Chemical Specialties Manufacturers Association, Inc., accompanied by Charles O'Connor, general counsel, and Steven S. Kellner, director of legislative and regulatory affairs.. Segal, Arthur B., president, LiSuMa Associates, Inc., Miami, Fla_ Kirk, Kevin, president, Atomic Chemical Corp., Spokane, Wash.‒‒‒‒‒‒ Crosby, Dr. Edwin A., vice president, National Canners Association___. Hinkle, Maureen, pesticides monitor, Environmental Defense Fund and Bartlett, Hon. Dewey F., a U.S. Senator from Oklahoma, statement_______ Packwood, Hon. Bob, a U.S. Senator from Oregon, statement, supporting Allbee, Ronald A., deputy commissioner of agriculture, State of Vermont, letter to Senator Leahy with attachment-- American Association of Nurserymen, statement_-- Donalds, John E., general manager, Agricultural Products Department, Dow Chemical, letters to Senator Leahy, with accompanying statement Early, Jack D., National Agricultural Chemicals Association, letter to Senator Leahy and Representative de la Garza, with attachments__ Zee, Patricia V., American Agri-Women, Glassboro, N.J__. Griffiths, Dr. James T., director, Special Projects, Florida Citrus Mutual__ David, Joffre C., secretary-treasurer, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Asso- ciation, Orlando, Fla., letter to Senator Stone with enclosure___ Weller, Paul S., Jr., vice president, public affairs, National Council of EXTENSION OF THE FEDERAL INSECTICIDE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 1977 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND GENERAL LEGISLATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:40 a.m., in room 324, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. Patrick J. Leahy (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Present: Senators Leahy, Allen, Curtis, and Lugar. STATEMENT OF HON. PATRICK J. LEAHY, A U.S. SENATOR FROM VERMONT Senator LEAHY. The subcommittee will come to order. I am Patrick Leahy, the junior Senator from Vermont, and with me today is Senator Richard Lugar, the junior Senator from Indiana. Today's hearing by the Subcommittee on Agricultural Research and General Legislation is on the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act as amended. As we all know, the purpose of this act is twofold. First to control the production and use of pesticides which are potentially harmful to both humans and the environment. The second purpose is to assure the availability of pesticides to agriculture, health facilities, industry, and homeowners for the control of pests. Since the passage of Public Law 92-516 in 1972, there has been intensive controversy surrounding the implementation and direction of this legislation. There has been widespread agreement that the basic purposes of the act are appropriate, but there has been severe criticism of how EPA administers the act. Now, there is probably some basis for these charges. However, I think it should be remembered, and I certainly see that in the mail that I get in my own office, that some people have argued that EPA is going too slowly while others are charging EPA is overly zealous in enforcement of the program. You also know that earlier this year the Senate Committee on Agriculture had 1 day of hearings on FIFRA in conjunction with the farm bill. This was in anticipation of the need to provide for an extension of FIFRA, following along the line of some of the hearings that I was present at last year on this whole subject. However, it became very evident to us that there were problems that demanded additional |