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Committee advances bill to rely on EPA- and state-approved pesticide labels; adopts technical amendment
Summary
A bill that specifies EPA- or state-approved pesticide labels satisfy state warning requirements passed committee after an amendment correcting a statutory reference; supporters said the measure provides regulatory certainty for farmers and registrants.
The Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee voted to report a bill that would treat pesticide labels approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the state agriculture commissioner as sufficient warnings for state-level actions, aiming to prevent additional state labeling or packaging requirements.
Representative Meeks, the bill sponsor, framed the measure as codifying the federal regulatory role under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Meeks said the proposal responds to recent state actions elsewhere that required manufacturers to add warnings to glyphosate-based products. "This here…is the leading regulatory assessments on glyphosate safety…Federal regulators have all concluded glyphosate does not pose a carcinogenic risk," Meeks said, summarizing industry and regulatory views he cited.
Experts and agricultural groups testified in favor. Elizabeth Burns Thompson of Modern Ag Alliance said the bill "provides certainty" and would reduce regulatory risk for farmers. Dr. Craig Lewallen, a toxicologist representing CropLife and agribusiness groups, described FIFRA's registration and re-evaluation process and noted federal preemption over labeling: "The EPA is the federal…Every state has the ability to determine what pesticides are used within the borders of its state…FIFRA contains a preemptive provision…EPA has the authority over the pesticide label." (Paraphrase based on transcript.)
Members requested a technical correction to a statutory citation within the draft. The bill sponsor asked for an amendment to change a line reference from section 135 to section 136 (transcript note) and the committee approved the amendment by voice vote. The committee then voted to "do pass." The transcript records the amendment passing and then the bill reported favorably; no numerical vote tallies are provided in the record.
Supporters emphasized the role of EPA registration and the agency's re-evaluation process, and said the bill does not remove EPA authority or create manufacturer immunity; it would standardize labeling expectations at the state level.
