Pesticide Rules Could Be Changed

U.S. senators Monday proposed an overhaul of regulations that have reduced the number of pesticides available for so-called minor crops.

The Minor Use Crop Protection Act of 1995 would speed up the process of registering pesticides used on more than 200 crops grown in Washington state, including apples.

Sponsors of the act include Sen. Richard Lugar, an Indiana Republican who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee and Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash.

Farmers complain that current regulations eliminate valuable pesticides because manufacturers can’t afford the lengthy process of federal registration.

The proposed act would greatly narrow the definition of “minor crop” to those with fewer than 300,000 acres nationwide. Only a handful of major crops such as wheat and corn are exempt now.