The changes include commodities imported from Canada, so the EPA consulted the Canadian Pest Review Management Agency about its proposals. It does not indicate what the Canadians said, if anything.
One major change is to pick one vegetable or fruit as representative for each category. All the other commodities in that group would be governed by the test results.
One of the commenters told the EPA that it makes little sense to include iceberg lettuce as a reference commodity since any herbicide would kill that type of lettuce.
Another commenter said it makes little sense to pick a cool-climate fruit to test tropical fruit residues because it’s in tropical climates that most pesticides are applied not in cool climates.
The EPA is increasing the number of commodities governed by its regulations from 27 to 62. Many of the additions are relatively new specialty crops.
The EPA also said it aims to reduce the differences in U.S. and Codex Alimentarius (global) standards for pesticide residues on foods.
