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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | November 23, 2021 10:23 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Angel Cruz |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Improving Food Safety by Labeling Pesticide Information |
| Pesticides are widely used in producing food to control pests such as insects, rodents, weeds, mold, fungi, and bacteria. While they protect food and us from pests, legitimate concern has been growing that exposure to pesticide chemicals can be linked to certain acute and chronic human health problems. However, the ability of consumers to identify food products that have been treated with pesticides is challenging. Current law only requires that the shipping containers of raw agricultural products be labeled to identify the use of pesticides. If the food product is removed from the shipping container and sold at retail, the declaration is no longer visible to the consumer. Therefore, I will shortly be introducing legislation to require that any raw agricultural product removed from its shipping container shall also bear a label declaring the presence of a pesticide chemical applied after harvest. Additionally, any declarations must clearly and conspicuously identify the chemical, its common name, and function. Without such a declaration, the commodity would be deemed misbranded. Pennsylvanians have the right to be informed about the food they consume daily, especially if the product is contaminated with pesticide residues. |
Introduced as HB2186