April McClain Delaney Discusses Grants For Applied Research On Pesticide Sprays

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During a House Agriculture Committee hearing in July, Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-MD) spoke about grants for applied research on pesticide research.

Transcript

00:00From Maryland, Ms. McClain Delaney for five minutes.

00:04So thank you to our witnesses here today.

00:06I know it's been a long morning, and I really appreciate all of your expertise.

00:10And I do have to say thank you to our chairman, J.T. Thompson, and to our ranking member, Craig,

00:15because they really have focused on innovation and U.S. competitiveness in the agricultural sector,

00:21and really appreciate that work.

00:24Your perspectives today speak directly to the importance of improving practical,

00:28science-driven innovation in agriculture.

00:32And many of you have raised, you know, challenges to those resources.

00:36And I have to say I am a fourth-generation Idahoan, came from a farming family,

00:42but I represent Maryland's 6th Congressional District and Western Maryland in our ag reserve.

00:48And I believe in our strong regulatory system, although it clearly needs improvement,

00:53but we can't meet today's needs without proper resources.

00:59So my questions are just going to focus on really understaffing and resourcing, probably at the EPA,

01:05and also, you know, further research at our land-grant universities.

01:10The EPA's Office of Pesticides Program is chronically underfunded and understaffed,

01:14as we've talked today, and leading to backlogs that delay access to safer, more effective tools.

01:19And second, I want to highlight the vital role of our land universities and regional research and what that means.

01:28So with respect to these staffing shortages, Mr. Cameron, you highlighted, you know,

01:33that there's simply not enough staff and resources to sometimes keep up with the applications in some of your testimony.

01:40And I share your concerns, especially given the impact on the EPA's ability to improve innovation products.

01:46With growing resistance to existing pesticides and a shifting consumer demand,

01:52is there a way farmers in the private sector could help better address some of these staffing shortages

01:58and this education back loop?

02:01I saw some of it in your testimony and thought it was really interesting.

02:05And, you know, how can we, do you have any specific recommendations for us in Congress?

02:09And I might add that, you know, also open that up to the whole panel as well.

02:18No, we know that we have a lack of products that we can use in traditional farming

02:22and in the organic world, since I live in both realms.

02:27Yeah.

02:28You know, we know that the products, you know, we're being asked to reduce pesticide use,

02:34produce healthy food for consumers throughout the nation, but the tools take time.

02:42You've heard 10, 12 years to go from inception to being able to be registered in the field.

02:49So anything we're getting now was designed or created, you know, years ago.

02:56So we're not seeing the technology move forward at a rapid pace.

03:01You know, possibly, you know, I can see some type of accelerated program for biologicals

03:08that may not have the traditional risk associated with it, maybe a special category,

03:13but definitely working with state governments that do have, like we do in California,

03:18we have a Department of Pesticide Regulation, work in tandem, possibly get an MOU put together

03:23to where we can move products forward together rather than getting a product registered at the

03:31federal level and then going through a California process.

03:34It just delays.

03:36It's delay after delay.

03:38We need things now.

03:39The consumers are demanding it, and we want to be good stewards.

03:44We feel we are.

03:46We just need to get products through the process.

03:50I am going to just move on quickly for time for university investment.

03:54Mr. Abbott, you mentioned that the CBDA supports increased federal investments in applied research

03:59and demonstration projects through land-grant universities and regional centers of excellence.

04:03And Maryland has a great footprint of strong land-grant universities.

04:07I'm curious, how can we better leverage to support testing new spray technologies,

04:12validating application strategies, and supporting farmer adoption through education and outreach?

04:17And then I loved the comment about investment in students themselves as well,

04:22because I think that's important.

04:23Sure.

04:24No, and I'll just talk briefly here, because I know our time is short here.

04:27But they've not stopped the research, right?

04:30They're going, I know several researchers, they continue, and I've also helped support,

04:36because they solicit grants, and working for a large multinational at DuPont,

04:40I helped get some of those fundings for them because I saw the importance.

04:44And it wasn't around just selling a product.

04:47It was actually getting the tools into the farmer's hands.

04:51Anyone else in terms of input on that?

04:55All of you seem to really support research as well, but any other specific recommendations for us?

05:00All right, and for the record, I will submit one more question about regulatory delays,

05:10but my time is up.

05:12I yield back, and thank you all.

05:13Very informative today, and I appreciate your testimony.

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