[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 105 (Wednesday, July 16, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S9490]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PESTICIDE HARMONIZATION

  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I rise today to express my support of S. 
1406, which is pesticide harmonization legislation. I join my 
colleague, Senator Dorgan, as an original cosponsor of this 
legislation. I would like to commend Senator Dorgan and his staff, the 
Montana Grain Growers, the National Association of Wheat Growers, and 
our Montana Department of Agriculture for their willingness to work out 
the gritty details of this bill. It has been a long and laborious 
negotiation process, but I believe we have come up with legislation 
that is better for the farmers of this country.
  In my home State of Montana and many other Western and Midwestern 
States, we have faced a number of trade disputes between Canada and the 
United States. One of the most glaring discrepancies deals with 
pesticides. Chemicals that are sold for one price just across the 
border in Canada are sold at a considerably higher cost to American 
producers. Why does this happen you may ask? The EPA places strong 
regulations on chemicals used in the United States and therefore, the 
chemical companies believe they should hike up the prices to pay for 
their trouble.
  The chemicals sold in Canada and the United States, in most cases, 
have the exact same chemical makeup. The same company manufactures them 
but often gives them a different name and nearly always prices the 
American chemicals higher. The crops harvested at a lower production 
cost in Canada are now competing with American products. I am a strong 
believer in fair trade, but for free trade to actually occur, this 
problem must be addressed.
  Currently, American farmers are facing a serious economic recession. 
Grain prices are the lowest they have been in a number of years and 
there does not appear to be a light at the end of the tunnel. 
Additionally, much of the West is looking at yet another year of 
drought. Also, fertilizer costs are skyrocketing with the ever-rising 
cost of natural gas. To top it all off, they are also being forced to 
pay twice as much for nearly the same chemicals as their foreign 
neighbors.
  This bill would eliminate current obstacles and even the playing 
field for our farmers. The bill operates under a similar concept as the 
previous bills introduced, but many of the details have changed. The 
pesticide harmonization bill that is currently introduced, S. 332, had 
the States, not EPA, in charge of pesticide registrations. This new 
version has EPA in charge of the process. This eliminated some of the 
concerns of States, whose budgets would not allow these much-needed 
registrations to be completed. It also protects confidentiality of 
ingredients in the chemicals.
  Our farmers and ranchers have been paying too much for their 
pesticides and chemicals for too long. From my years as a football 
referee, I learned everyone needs to follow the same rules to play the 
game. We need to make sure Canadian farmers and U.S. farmers are 
playing under the same rules. I believe this bill makes that happen. I 
look forward to working with my colleagues on this crucial issue to 
America's farmers and ranchers.

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