Lack of certainty on EPA-approved, science-based nationwide labels will erode access to current and future pesticides, threatening crops and grower incomes, conservation practices, public health, vital infrastructure, and ultimately raise food prices for families amidst record-high inflation. Growers and users need reaffirmation from Congress that states have every right to build on the federal government’s baseline regulations but cannot directly contradict the scientific conclusions of the EPA.

The last several years have demonstrated how fragile our food production and infrastructure systems can be. Whether driven by war in Ukraine, extreme weather events, or COVID-19 disruptions, our economic wellbeing and access to a safe, affordable food supply relies on many factors. Pesticides are an essential tool for many growers and other users whose operations rely on them, and for consumers and our environment which benefit from their use. If left unchecked, some pests can inflict crop yield losses greater than 80 percent, destroy important infrastructure, harm public health through mosquito-borne disease or other outbreaks, among other harms. Additionally, pesticides are essential to maintaining and expanding vital conservation practices, such as cover crops or tillage reductions, which remove the equivalent of millions of cars from roadways annually, reduce soil erosion, and prevent nutrient loss to watersheds. Without access to safe, effective pesticides regulated with the best available science, food prices for American families will rise significantly and our ability to protect public health, infrastructure, and our environment will be greatly diminished.

EPA is the authority to make foundational, science-based decisions on how pesticides can be labeled and used. States are permitted to regulate the sale and use of pesticides under FIFRA but are preempted from requiring additional or different pesticide labels or packaging. Nevertheless, in recent years we have seen actions from states that directly and unjustifiably contradict EPA’s scientific findings on pesticide safety. These actions risk creating an unworkable, inconsistent patchwork of state or municipal pesticide labels that can quickly disrupt commerce and access to these much-needed tools. As concerning, this threatens to jeopardize public confidence in EPA’s authority and science-based regulation under FIFRA, as well as the continued availability of individual tools on which there are contradictory claims.

We urge Congress to seriously consider the far-reaching implications should this tension go unaddressed by federal policymakers. The ability of farmers, land managers, and other users to produce an abundant food, feed, and fiber supply, combat public health threats, implement important conservation practices, and maintain vital transportation and utility infrastructure will be significantly impaired. In turn, food prices will further increase for families; important infrastructure will fall into disrepair; our population will be increasingly vulnerable to vector-borne diseases; and our ability to combat climate change and other environmental challenges will be undermined. We strongly urge Congress to reaffirm that EPA is the primary, federal authority under FIFRA for making pesticide findings and decisions, and that states may regulate their use, but not impose additional labeling or packaging requirements. Congressional action on this important matter will ensure our nation’s farmers and other users have reliable access to these vital tools in the years to come.