Pesticide data program : a progress report

4 Pages·2003·0.23 MB·English

by  Pesticide Data Program (U.S.)

Archive Document
Historic,
Do assume
not content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.

"
USDA
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Pesticide Data Program—Progress Report
February 2003
The Pesticide Data Program. Since 1991 requires fewer sites to produce reliable statistics.
USDA's Pesticide Data Program (PDP) has A commodity included in PDP usually is tested 2
tested a wide range of commodities in the United full years. Commodities are often reintroduced
States food supply for pesticide residues. Using into the program so that PDP data reflect current
the most current laboratory methods, PDP has pest management practices.
tested both fresh and processed fruit and
vegetables, grains, milk, beef, and poultry for PDP Testing - A Federal/State Partnership.
pesticide residues. In 2001, PDP introduced State departments of agriculture work with USDA
testing of finished drinking water. PDP supports to collect and test samples. California, Colorado,
the food safety responsibilities of the Florida, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Ohio,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin are part of the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA). PDP effort. Two USDA laboratories also
—
PDP AMS
contribute to testing the National
PDP Management. The USDA Agricultural Science Laboratory in Gastonia, North Carolina,
Marketing Service (AMS) coordinates PDP, and the Grain Inspection, Packers and
manages sample collection and testing, and Stockyards Administration Laboratory in Kansas
publishes annual reports. Other USDA agencies City, Missouri. PDP Laboratory methods are
support PDP: the Agricultural Research Service continually improving so that residues can be
(ARS) conducts nationwide surveys of food detected at very low concentrations.
consumption; the National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS) conducts surveys on agricultural PDP Data. USDA recently prepared a summary
chemical usage and pest management practices of the 2001 PDP data. This summary, along with
used in production of fruit, nuts, vegetables, field data from previous years, is available on the
crops, and livestock; and the Economic Research World Wide Web or by contacting the AMS
Service (ERS) assesses the economic impli- Monitoring Programs Office (MPO). See the
cations of changes to pest management practices contact information at the end of this Progress
or pesticide regulations. Report.
PDP Focus on Children's Foods. In response to PDP in 2001. The 2001 program included testing
the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act and a 1993 of 15 fresh fruit and vegetables (apples, bananas,
report by the National Academy of Sciences, PDP broccoli, carrots, celery, cherries, grapes, green
focuses primarily on children and provides critical beans, lettuce, mushrooms, nectarines, oranges,
realistic data for EPA assessments of dietary peaches, pineapples, and potatoes), 3 processed
exposure to pesticide residues. commodities (canned sweet peas, canned sweet
corn, and tomato paste), milled rice, poultry, and
PDP Sampling. Samples for PDP testing are beef. Also in 2001, PDP began testing finished
collected from the national food distribution drinking water from community water systems in
system. Statistically reliable sampling schemes California and New York.
are designed for each PDP commodity so that
PDP data represent pesticide residue exposure in In 2001, PDP tested 12,264 samples—9,903
the U.S. diet. Fruit and vegetables are collected samples of fruit and vegetables, 689 rice
at over 600 sites. Sampling of grains, meat, samples, 91 1 beef samples, 464 poultry samples,
poultry, and some processed fruit and vegetables and 297 samples of finished drinking water.
"PDP data continue to demonstrate that the Nation 'sfood supply is among the safest in the world.
USDA
—A.J. Yates, Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service
Agricultural Marketing Service - Science and Technology Programs
—
Approximately 82 percent of food samples were PDP in 2003. This year, PDP initiated testing of
domestic and 17 percent imported (less than 1 fresh sweet potatoes and fresh tomatoes and will
percent was of unknown origin). Approximately continue to test fresh commodities that were part
—
64 percent of the fruit and vegetable samples, 49 of the 2002 program asparagus, cucumbers,
percent of drinking water samples, and 19 percent mushrooms, onions, peppers, and spinach.
of the beef tissue samples had detectable
residues. Residues detected in beef samples PDP also —introduced three new processed
resulted almost entirely from low-level detections commodities butter, canned green beans, and
—
of persistent chemicals that have been cancelled canned peaches and will continue to test pear
for agricultural use. Only 0.1 percent of all juice, canned and frozen sweet peas, and canned
samples had residues that exceeded an and frozen sweet corn. Barley testing and the
established tolerance level. drinking water testing program will also continue
this year.
PDP
In finished drinking water, detected low levels
(measured in parts per trillion) of some pesticides, Beyond the standard testing program, PDP will
primarily widely used herbicides. None of the initiate a special testing scheme in early 2003 to
detections exceeded established EPA Maximum analyze apples, peaches (canned and fresh), and
Contaminant Levels or Health Advisory levels. wheat flour for residues of triazole fungicides and
their metabolites.
PDP in 2002. The 2002 program continued the
USDA
testing of beef, rice, and 10 fresh fruit and Contacts.
vegetable commodities that were part of the 2001
—
program apples, bananas, broccoli, carrots, USDA-AMS-Monitoring Programs Office
celery, cucumbers, mushrooms, peaches, 8609 Sudley Road, Suite 206
pineapples, and potatoes. Manassas, Virginia 201 10
[phone], [phone] (facsimile)
—
Four additional fresh commodities asparagus, [e-mail] (electronic mail)
—
onions, spinach, and sweet bell peppers were
added to the program. PDP tested both canned ERS: Craig Osteen
and frozen sweet peas and sweet corn in 2002 [phone], [phone] (facsimile)
plus three additional processed commodities [e-mail] (electronic mail)
apple juice, apple sauce, and pear juice
concentrate and puree. ARS: Alanna Moshfegh
[phone], [phone] (facsimile)
Barley was introduced into the program and [e-mail] (electronic mail)
finished drinking water testing expanded to include
community water systems in Colorado, Kansas, NASS: Chris Cadwallader
and Texas in addition to the sampling sites in [phone], [phone] (facsimile)
California and New York. [e-mail] (electronic mail)
The 2002 data and a summary report will be Data and Reports. PDP data and reports are
available early next year. available from MPO and on the USDA website at
http://www.ams.usda.gov/science/pdp.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national
origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all
programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print,
audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA'sTARGET Center at [phone] (voice and TDD).
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call [phone] (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity providerand employer.
Agricultural Marketing Service - Science and Technology Programs