United States Department of Agriculture finds 99% of foods in 2024 tests meet EPA safety standards | News
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the 2024 Pesticide Data Program (PDP) Annual Summary on Tuesday.
The report highlights that over 99% of tested samples had pesticide residues below the benchmark levels set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Every year, the USDA and EPA collaborate to identify foods for testing, which are rotated by the PDP. In 2024, tests were performed on 9,872 samples from 19 different commodities, including fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, nuts, and fish. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) partners with state agencies to collect and analyze these pesticide residue levels.
The USDA focuses on testing a wide range of domestic and imported foods, especially those consumed by infants and children. The EPA uses the PDP data to carry out dietary risk assessments and to ensure pesticide residues stay within safe limits.
The data serves as a valuable resource for regulators, farmers, processors, manufacturers, consumers, and scientists, providing insights into the pesticide residues on commonly consumed foods.
Monthly reports of the annual pesticide residue results are sent to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and EPA. Immediate notification is made to these agencies if any test finds residue levels that could threaten public safety.
The 2024 data and summary are available on the Pesticide Data Program page of the AMS website.
For further information, inquiries can be directed to the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service via email at amsmpo.data@usda.gov. Additional details about pesticides and food can be found on the EPA and FDA websites.
