HR5196-119

What This Bill Does

The Protect Our Farmers and Families Act directs EPA to remove diquat from legal pesticide use immediately on enactment. It deems diquat to generally cause unreasonable adverse effects on the environment under FIFRA, requires the EPA Administrator to cancel the registration of all uses of diquat, requires revocation of any tolerance or exemption that allows diquat or resulting residues in or on food under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, prohibits the continued sale and use of existing stocks notwithstanding FIFRA's usual existing-stocks treatment, and bars EPA from reregistering diquat. The bill therefore uses pesticide-registration, food-residue, existing-stock, and reregistration tools to create a full federal ban rather than a gradual phaseout.

Who Benefits and How

Farmworkers benefit because cancellation and existing-stock prohibition reduce occupational exposure to diquat. Families eating treated food benefit because EPA must revoke tolerances and exemptions for diquat residues in or on food. Environmental health advocates benefit because Congress would deem diquat to cause unreasonable adverse environmental effects. Consumers concerned about pesticide residues benefit from a direct ban on future registered uses and food-residue allowances.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Diquat manufacturers bear the burden because all registered uses are cancelled and reregistration is barred. Farmers using diquat must stop using existing stocks and switch to alternative weed-management tools. Pesticide distributors must stop selling existing stocks immediately on enactment. EPA pesticide staff must cancel registrations, revoke tolerances or exemptions, and enforce the reregistration bar.

Key Provisions

• Requires EPA to cancel the registration of all uses of diquat on enactment.
• Requires revocation of food tolerances or exemptions for diquat residues.
• Prohibits continued sale and use of existing stocks of diquat.
• Blocks EPA from reregistering diquat under FIFRA.