Jay Vroom Testifies Before Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry Regarding the Importance of PREA Reauthorization

Source: CropLife America

Jay Vroom, president and CEO at CropLife America (CLA), testified before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry regarding the reauthorization of the industry’s fee-for-service program, commonly referred to as the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA) and now referred to as the Pesticide Registration Enhancement Act (PREA). The current authority for PRIA will expire on September 30, 2017. As a co-founder of the PRIA coalition in 2003, Vroom spoke to the importance of the diverse support for the program stating, “On behalf of the pesticide industry, I would like to emphasize the benefit of working alongside the NGO community and in concert with our state and federal regulators…”

Addressing Chairman Roberts, Ranking Member Stabenow and the rest of the committee, Vroom spoke to the successful history and importance of the PRIA, “…prior to the implementation of PRIA in 2004, there was little certainty for registration packages moving through the EPA. New product registrations would often linger with no real process or timeframe for completion. This ambiguous process would often lead to frustration, and more importantly jeopardized innovation, as there was diminished incentive to invest in the research and development of new chemistries for the marketplace. The enactment of PRIA changed that experience and not just for product registrants, but for all stakeholders. The success of PRIA has led to process improvements in the Office of Pesticide Programs at EPA, established a dedicated funding stream for the Agency, created specific block grants for training and education programs and created business certainty that keeps the wheels of innovation turning, which in turn results in the creation of jobs in the agriculture sector.”

He added, “The PRIA fee framework ensures that pesticide products will be available to support U.S. agriculture, make available the disinfectants used by building and plant facilities managers, provide the tools necessary to combat mosquito and other disease vectors, ensure the availability of structural pesticides for residential and commercial purposes, and home and garden, and turf and ornamental industries. Whether ensuring farmers have the tools they need or providing non-agricultural tools RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment)^® works to keep available for public and home use, the new PREA reauthorization is integral to the health and vitality of our communities.” He continued, “When the registration process works in a predictable manner, the entire agriculture supply chain benefits, which results in jobs on farms, in distribution, in transportation, in production and in innovation.”