Joint Statement on NAS Report
Joint Statement on NAS Report
Release No. 0518.93
Joint Statement by
Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Carol M. Browner
Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David A. Kessler, M.D.
on
Reducing Pesticide Use And Promoting Sustainable Agriculture
Washington, D.C., June 25, 1993
The Clinton Administration today announces its commitment to reducing the use of
pesticides and to promote sustainable agriculture. This commitment will be
implemented jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Environmental
Protection Agency, and the Food and Drug Administration.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator
Carol M. Browner and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David A. Kessler,
M.D., released the following statement:
"We stand behind the safety of our food supply and will continue to be vigilant
in our efforts to maintain that safety based on the best available science. We
stand firmly behind the dietary guidelines put forward by the Department of
Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1990, which
state that fruits and vegetables form a vital part of a balanced, healthy diet,
especially for children.
The Clinton Administration firmly believes it is the responsibility of
government to look at every opportunity to improve the protection of public
health. We plan to review and consider all of the recommendations made in the
reports being issued.
The principles that will guide our legislative and regulatory proposals include
the following:
The Clinton Administration is committed to reducing the risks to people and the
environment that are associated with pesticides while ensuring the availability
of cost-effective pest management tools for agriculture and other pesticides
users.
We will intensify our effort to reduce the use of higher-risk pesticides and to
promote integrated pest management, including biological and cultural control
systems and other sustainable agricultural practices, under the leadership of
the USDA.
We will work side by side with American farmers to help test and implement
improved and safer methods of pest management already used by many farmers.
We will promote development of safer pesticides by reforming our regulatory
program to encourage registration of safer pesticides and by providing
incentives to pesticide manufacturers to develop safer pesticides for urban and
agricultural uses.
We are committed to the goals of reducing risks associated with pesticides for
all Americans and especially of ensuring appropriate protection for children.
We expect to use the upcoming reports of the National Academy of Sciences and
the Environmental Working Group on children and pesticides as a basis for
formulating the legislative and regulatory policies needed to put the
Administration principles into effect.
In addition to these reports, the USDA will soon be releasing its Pesticide Data
Program Report, which will provide additional data on pesticide residues in
food.
To promote these goals, the Clinton Administration is committed to working on an
expedited basis with Congress and all interested parties to develop a package of
proposals that can command the widest possible support."
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ELIZABETH L. ANDRESS
NPL Food Science/Food Safety
Phone: 720-6962
Fax: 690-2469
eandress@esusda.gov
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John W. Impson
National Program Leader-PAT
jimpson@esusda.gov
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