U.S./Canada Pesticide Working Group Accomplishment Report

A 1995 report of the Technical Working Group on pesticides,
established under the l988 Canada-U.S. Trade Agreement(CUSTA),
noted a number of recent accomplishments and future directions. 
These include coordinated review of a new reduced-risk pesticide,
tebufenozide; mutual work for establishing import tolerances for
several pesticides that had been identified as causing
disruptions in agricultural trade between the United States and
Canada. For the future, efforts are being initiated to support
pesticide minor uses in both countries, including sharing residue
data and development of a proposal to harmonize field testing
requirements. Also, future plans call for more harmonization
between the two countries, moving from parallel reviews to joint
reviews of data in support of pesticide registrations and
systematic harmonization of maximum residue levels. In a June
meeting, the group discussed the next phases of a number of
projects aimed at reducing pesticide-related trade barriers,
maintaining and enhancing health and environmental protection,
reducing regulatory costs and improving efficiency. For the first
time, representatives of Mexico participated in the talks, and
the group discussed how the benefits of trilateral technical
cooperation could be extended throughout North America,
consistent with the goals and spirit of the North American Free
Trade Agreement. Copies of the l995 Technical Working Group
report are available by calling the Communications Branch of the
Office of Pesticide Programs: 703-305-5017.