FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2023USDBC’s CPACT Expands Coalition to Include Four New Members
June 15, 2023 Beaverton, Oregon
USDBC is thrilled to announce the expansion of its Crop Protection Action Coalition for Trade (CPACT) to include four new members: California Specialty Crops Council, International Fresh Produce Association, California Walnut Commission, and the IR-4 Project. The four new members join the existing coalition of project lead U.S. Dry Bean Council, the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council, USA Rice Federation, Almond Board of California, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), California Olives, California Wild Rice, Minor Use Foundation, and the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance. CPACT anticipates ongoing expansion of the coalition in the coming months.
The 13-member coalition is united by the goal of ensuring the use of science-based principles in the global regulatory system that defines the use of crop protection tools. This includes the application of evidence-based pesticide tolerances or maximum residue limits (MRLs) on food imports. Previously, importing nations relied on science-based and generally accepted levels set by CODEX. Recently, many critical export markets for U.S. agricultural products, led by the European Union (EU) and Mexico, have begun a campaign to either impose very low MRLs or zero tolerances for pesticide residues. “Zero tolerance is not realistic for crop production and will disrupt global trade by making it impossible to import food from any nation using even minimally applied crop protection products, like the United States,” noted Rebecca Bratter, Executive Director of the U.S. Dry Bean Council.
CPACT, coordinated by the North Hill Group (NHG), has undertaken an ambitious program of outreach, education, and capacity building to promote the critical importance of sciencebased MRLs for global trade. NHG has focused primarily on the EU where the Farm to Fork program, if imposed, would embrace very-low to zero residue tolerances and even ban the use of certain pesticides. CPACT has also been working in Mexico to address a looming ban on glyphosate, which while not used by all CPACT members, is worrisome for the precedent it sets on banning the use of a critical crop protection tool. Over the last year, CPACT has conducted global webinars on the science behind setting MRLs, the critical importance to the global trade system, and the possible implications for global food security should zero tolerance and bans be put in place. Jeff Nawn, Project Lead for CPACT and NHG CEO noted, “Our last webinar was attended by over 500 important stakeholders indicating the importance of our work and the growing interest in the need to work together to address possible market and trade disruptions as well as the challenge that zero or very low tolerance poses to global food security.”
In addition to the coalition members, CPACT is governed by an Advisory Committee of high level technical experts who help define priorities, focus, and strategy. CPACT publishes regular updates on issues of importance regarding global MRLs, participates at global meetings with public and private sector counterparts to advance the discussion, and hosts farm field trips for global stakeholders seeking to better understand how crop protection technologies work in the United States. CPACT operates thanks to a Global Broad Based Initiative (GBI) grant from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). For more information, please go to https://cropprotectionact.org/.
The U.S. Dry Beans Council (USDBC) was formed over forty years ago to represent farmers, dealers and corporate members who grow, handle, export and process dry beans grown in the United States. The purpose and mission of the USDBC is to provide a unified voice for the dry bean industry, and to promote the healthy attributes of our food to increase the consumption of beans grown in the United States. The USDBC strives to be successful in representing the diverse interests of the U.S. dry bean producers, handlers and processors, affecting the U.S. industry’s ability to compete both domestically and globally. The U.S. Dry Bean Council prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. USDBC IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND CONTRACTOR