Regulatory approaches for controlling pesticide residues in food animals

Pesticide use is vital to the production of an economical, high-quality food supply throughout the world. The regulatory system in the United States is designed to prevent the entry of unacceptable residues into the food supply. To address the complexities associated with pesticide use, the regulatory apparatus is composed of several federal and numerous state agencies. Based on monitoring results, it appears that most pesticides are being used in the appropriate manner and that thresholds for pesticides, deemed to be adequate to protect human health, are seldom exceeded. With our increasing knowledge of the public health and ecologic threats posed by pesticide residues, our approach to regulating pesticides will continue to evolve.