RISE engages in regulatory activities

Collaboration is at the heart of the RISE (Responsible Industry for a Healthy Environment) mission, adding tremendous value to the specialty pesticides industry and our user community. Collaboration with organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), along with other AmericanHort allies and partners, the American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA), the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) have played a key role in the development of safe and effective use of specialized pesticides and fertilizers.

Leading a discussion on the Endangered Species Act and the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act at the 2024 RISE and CropLife America Regulatory Conference, the author (left) faces tough questions with Director of Pesticide Programs Ed Messina and Division Directors Billy from the U.S. EPA office Environment. Smith, Jan Matuszko, Dava Vogel, Anne Overstreet and Tim Kiely. (Photo: GROWTH)

ESA involvement

These alliances are critical to navigating the complexities of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ongoing work to fully comply with the Endangered Species Act (ESA), ensuring that feedback and support are science-based and that mitigation strategies are both effective and applicable.

Together, we provided numerous comments to EPA on the ESA workplan, various ESA strategies, and draft biological assessments and biological opinions. We also actively participated in ESA workshops and forums to provide substantive feedback on both the science and the feasibility of ESA’s proposed mitigation measures.

For example, industry-led discussions at a workshop in Hawaii on the Vulnerable Species Pilot Project (VSPP), an integral part of ESA’s work plan, demonstrate our collective support – supporting an effective, science-based approach to ESA’s consultation process. With insecticide strategies expected to be published this summer, RISE is preparing to continue to engage in the creation and critique of these new solutions.

Advocating for critical funding

RISE’s regulatory activities include supporting a fully funded pesticide regulatory system. This is despite ongoing challenges with federal appropriations and the budgetary environment, characterized by a $6 million reduction in funding for the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) in the recently passed FY 2024 funding bill. Although a 4 percent reduction in OPP funding are less than the 9.6% faced by the rest of the EPA, it will still have a significant impact on the OPP and its work. Our strategic lobbying efforts reflect our continued commitment to securing necessary funding for EPA’s OPP.

In fiscal year 2025, RISE returned to Capitol Hill to lobby for at least $166 million in OPP funding. Adequate resources are crucial to ensure that regulatory decisions on pesticides are scientifically rigorous and timely, facilitating innovation and conservation of essential products.

RISE’s strategic navigation through regulatory challenges signifies its essential role in the industry. Our commitment to collaboration transcends industries, bringing together pest management professionals, government entities and non-governmental organizations in dialogue. This fosters a culture of learning and support that strengthens relationships between industry and regulatory agencies. Such collaboration enhances transparency, accountability and a streamlined pesticide regulatory process.

The commitment to effective ESA assessments, implementing the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act of 2022 (PRIA 5), and securing OPP funding strengthens RISE’s position as a vital advocate for the interests of the professional pest control industry.