Mission:
Established in September 1997, the USDA Office of Pest Management Policy (OPMP) is responsible for: (a) integrating the Department's programs and strategic planning pertaining to pest management; (b) coordinating the Department's role in the pesticide regulatory process and related interagency affairs, primarily with the Environmental Protection Agency; and (c) strengthening the Department's support for agriculture by helping to develop alternative pest management tools that may be needed as a result of regulatory change. Currently the OPMP is most actively involved with implementation of the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). Our role is two-fold: (1) provide the EPA with information to help assure that pesticide tolerance reassessments are based on actual agricultural practices and the most accurate data available; and (2) promote development of risk mitigation plans and transition plans, commodity-by-commodity, to reduce the impact of pesticide regulation.