Pesticide Residue Levels Part 3

Pesticide Residues part 3. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

When countries export products there are many issues that come into play including what kinds of pesticides were used in its production and how much of that pesticide is still present. We use the term MRL or maximum residue level and according to Mike Willett, Vice President for Scientific Affairs for the NW Hort Council a lot of countries are not keeping up with new products.

WILLETT: What we’re asking those countries when we’re in situation like that is to one, defer to international standards established under the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization or codex; or we’re asking them to defer to the tolerance for those residues or MRL’s that are established by their major trading partners.

Willett says that many of the countries already have very good standards put into place like the U.S. and Japan but there are some major problem areas.

WILLETT: Our biggest concern right now is with Taiwan because the Taiwanese government instituted an enforcement procedure for pesticide residues on imported foods that’s highly rigorous and they don’t have a comprehensive list

Taiwan did not notify the U.S. about their guidelines before turning away a number of apple shipments from the northwest.

WILLETT: We’re concerned, really concerned now going into the cherry season because again our industry has dramatically switched to safer alternatives but many of these safer alternatives that the EPA is encouraging growers to move towards don’t have MRL’s in Taiwan.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.