Jimmie Turner (202) 720-8998jimmie.turner@ams.usda.govBilly Cox (202) 720-8998billy.cox@ams.usda.gov
WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2010 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service today released the Pesticide Data Program Annual Summary, Calendar Year 2008, on the Internet. The data collected through this program provide the most comprehensive database available on actual levels of pesticide residues found in the U.S. food supply.
The Pesticide Data Program is a partnership with cooperating state agencies that are responsible for sample collection and analysis. The following 12 states participated in the program during 2008: California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New York, Ohio, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.
In 2008, surveys were conducted under the Pesticide Data Program on a variety of foods including fresh and processed fruit and vegetables, almonds, honey, catfish, corn grain, rice, groundwater, and treated and untreated drinking water.
Congress approved implementation of the Pesticide Data Program in January 1991 to improve the quality and quantity of information available on chemical residues in domestically produced and imported food. Since the program’s inception, it has provided statistically reliable test data for 91 commodities including fresh and processed fruit and vegetables, grains and grain products, nuts and nut products, milk and dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, catfish, corn syrup products, honey, pear juice concentrate, barley, oats, rice, bottled water, groundwater, and treated and untreated drinking water.
Since 1996, the Pesticide Data Program has enhanced its focus on children’s foods in response to the Food Quality Protection Act and provides critical realistic data for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency assessments of dietary exposure to pesticide residues. In addition, these data are used to facilitate global trade of American agricultural products. These data also are valuable to consumers, food producers and processors, chemical manufacturers, environmental interest groups, and food safety organizations.
The findings of the Pesticide Data Program Annual Summary, Calendar Year 2008 can be downloaded at www.ams.usda.gov/pdp. Printed copies can be obtained by writing to the Monitoring Programs Office, Science and Technology, Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, 8609 Sudley Rd., Suite 206, Manassas, VA 20110; by faxing (703) 369-0678; by calling (703) 330-2300, Ext. 110; or by submitting an e-mail request to amsmpo.data@ams.usda.gov.
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