The EPA Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee (PPDC) met Oct. 27-29 via conference call. Mark Johnson, associate director of environmental programs, is serving on on the committee through Dec. 9. However, GCSAA has submitted an application to ask for Johnson to serve another two year term.

Established in 1995, the PPDC is a diverse group of stakeholders chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to provide feedback to EPA Office of Pesticide Programs on various pesticide regulator.

Topics discussed during the PPDC meeting included:

• OPP Updates: Recent Activities and Accomplishments
• Emerging Pathogens Workgroup Report out
• Farmworker and Clinician Training Workgroup Report out
• Emerging Agricultural Technologies Workgroup Report out
• Pesticide Resistance Management Workgroup Report out

The Office of Pesticide Programs shared their priorities moving forward:

• Considering the effects determinations or protections of federally threatened and endangered species
• Ensuring OPP’s regulatory actions include special considerations for environmental justice concerns
• Ensuring OPP’s regulatory actions include special considerations for Climate Change concerns
• Advancing critical science and policy issues
• Working towards PRIA 5
• Progressing the registration review program
• Working collaboratively with state partners and other stakeholders to implement program
• Continuing Employee Engagement, Process Improvements and IT Improvements

EPA provided a Glyphosate update:

• In early February 2020, EPA issued the Glyphosate Interim Decision, which included mitigation and label changes to target pesticide sprays on intended pests, protect pollinators, and reduce the problem of weeds becoming resistant to glyphosate.
• GCSAA weighed in with public comment on the draft Glyphosate Interim Decision.
• In November, EPA expects to release the final BE for glyphosate and initiate consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service.

They also provided an update on Neonicotinoids:

• In February 2020, EPA published the Proposed Interim Decisions for the neonicotinoids; acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam with proposed new measures to reduce potential ecological risks, particularly to pollinators.
• After reviewing public input, the agency anticipates issuing Interim Decisions in 2022.
• In August, EPA released its draft biological evaluations (BEs) for clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam.
• The draft BEs found that each chemical is likely to adversely affect at least one individual of certain listed species under the Endangered Species Act or their designated critical habitats.
• GCSAA weighed in with public comment on the draft Neonicotinoid Biological Evaluation.

A lot of time during the meeting was also spent talking about EPA’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The next PPDC meeting will be held in the second quarter of 2022. Please reach out to Chava McKeel, director of government affairs, if you have questions about the work of this important federal advisory committee.