Washington, D.C. — Today, Senators Ted Budd (R-NC) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) introduced the Sound Science for Farmers Act.
The bill creates accountability and scientific quality standards for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assessments, risk evaluations, and regulatory actions for existing chemicals that impact America’s farmers and producers.
Background:
- On October 30, 2023, the EPA proposed changes to its chemical risk evaluation framework that undermine peer review and scientific standards for “best available science” under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
- The lack of rigorous interagency and peer review of these chemical assessments results in regulations with a direct, negative impact on America’s farmers and producers.
- Over the next two years, the EPA intends to issue Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessments and TSCA risk evaluations and regulations for dozens of building block chemistries, many with key agricultural applications.
- The EPA has failed to exclude agricultural uses from nearly all of these reviews, and the impact could be nationwide bans or unachievable workplace standards that significantly disrupt farm operations.
The Sound Science for Farmers Act:
- Requires the EPA to provide assessments, evaluations, or regulations to other agencies (including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food & Drug Administration, and Small Business Administration), for at least 90 days and follow Executive Order and docketing requirements for interagency comments.
- Ensures a full, open peer review of EPA draft or final assessments, evaluations, or regulations with an impact on agriculture, including for scientific quality, transparency, reproducibility of key results, effects on the agricultural sector, and consideration of real-world exposure.
Sen. Budd said in a statement:
“It is always concerning when the EPA makes sweeping determinations that are not based on science. But it’s even worse when these judgements negatively impact thousands of farmers, growers, producers, and manufacturers across North Carolina and the entire country. Our bill simply requires the EPA to be transparent and fact-based. That’s how we rein in out of control regulators and get the government back on the side of the hardworking men and women who put food on our tables and power our economy.”
Sen. Manchin said:
“I’m proud to join Senator Budd in introducing the Sound Science for Farmers Act, which would ensure that EPA cannot impose overarching regulations without first going through a thorough and transparent peer review process. Our bipartisan bill would mandate that EPA gather sufficient industry feedback and collaborate with other federal agencies and stakeholders to prevent rushed and burdensome rules from taking effect. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support our commonsense legislation that protects our agricultural and manufacturing industries from further EPA overreach.”
Chris Jahn, President and CEO of the American Chemistry Council, said:
“We applaud Senators Budd and Manchin for their bipartisan work to introduce this important legislation to support American farmers and protect our food supply. From materials needed to run family farms to products used to protect against disease and infection, chemistry is essential to our nation’s safe meat and crop production. Unfortunately, this Administration is ignoring the science and moving forward with proposals that may restrict access to vital chemistries. The Sound Science for Farmers Act will bring needed accountability and scientific rigor to the evaluation of chemistries used in agriculture. We urge Congress to pass this critical legislation to protect our nation’s farmers.”
Susanne Wasson, Interim President and CEO of CropLife America, said:
“CropLife America appreciates the introduction of the Sound Science for Farmers Act. The health of our country’s food system is imperative and unreasonable standards or bans that are not based on sound science will have far-reaching impacts on the safety and stability of the U.S. agriculture system. This Act proposes key improvements to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) chemical risk evaluation framework that will ensure accountability, boost collaboration and coordination among key stakeholders, and enhance the scientific credibility of EPA assessments.”
Sebastian Belle, President of the National Aquaculture Association, said:
“The US aquaculture community is very appreciative of Senators Budd and Manchin for introducing the Sound Science for Farmers Act. This legislation solidifies a common sense risk assessment process recommended by the National Academy of Sciences in their 2009 publication Science and Decisions: Advancing Risk Assessment advising EPA to adopt a collaborative, transparent framework. It is disappointing these commonsense recommendations require an Act of Congress to force EPA to act responsibly.”
Supporting organizations include:
- Agricultural Retailers Association
- Alliance for Chemical Distribution
- American Chemistry Council
- American Farm Bureau Federation
- American Feed Industry Association
- American Forest and Paper Association
- American Petroleum Institute
- American Wood Council
- AmericanHort
- Composite Panel Association
- CropLife America
- Decorative Hardwoods Association
- International Fresh Produce Association
- International Wood Products Association
- Methanol Institute
- National Aquaculture Association
- National Christmas Tree Association
- National Corn Growers Association
- National Funeral Directors Association
- North American Laminate Flooring Association
- North Carolina Aquaculture Association
- The Fertilizer Institute
- Treated Wood Council
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- U.S. Trout Farmers Association
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