CPDA organizes a DC Fly-In in March to meet with members of Congress, the EPA and USDA

Ethox Chemicals is excited to be an active member of CPDA, The Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology.  CPDA plays a crucial role in advocating for member companies and growers at the regulatory level with EPA, USDA and individual states as well as working with elected officials on Capitol Hill.   As part of that involvement, CPDA organized a DC Fly-In March 6-8, 2023 for CPDA members to meet with members of Congress, the EPA and USDA.  

Brad Swillen, Business Director for Agrotechnology at Ethox Chemicals and Vice Chairman of CPDA was fortunate enough to participate in those meetings.

The DC Fly-In gave CPDA members the opportunity to meet with key members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees as well as a key member of the House Appropriations Committee.  

When asked about the Fly-In, Brad offered this:

“What an incredible forum to thank the House and Senate members for an early passage of PRIA (Pesticide Registration Improvement Act).  PRIA is a very important piece of legislation that provides the EPA with the funding they need as well as giving Agrochemical suppliers confidence in the timelines that EPA provides for review of new registrations.  We are excited about the opportunity to tell our story about how we work effectively to provide solutions to growers to help provide a secure, sustainable and profitable agriculture business."

What is PRIA and how does it affect Ethox?

PRIA, called the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act was established under The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004. The new section 33 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) created a registration service fee system for applications for specified pesticide registration, amended registration, and associated tolerance actions, which set maximum residue levels for food and feed. PRIA also establishes timelines in which EPA is required to respond to each registration.  This timeline is beneficial because it holds the EPA accountable to responding to registrants during the specified times and it allows registrants to plan accordingly when trying to launch new products.  PRIA is renewed by congress every four years.  Ethox Chemicals is grateful that a PRIA passed with bipartisan support.

Ethox Chemicals supports our Agrotechnology customers by registering Inert ingredients (made by Ethox) in support of our customer's Active Ingredient registrations filed under PRIA.

Brad Swillen Interviews With Janet Adkison

At the end of the Fly In, Ethox Director of Business, Brad Swillen in his capacity as Vice Chairman of CPDA was asked to conduct an interview with Janet Adkison from “Market Day Report” on RFD-TV to update viewers on CPDA’s Washington Fly-In.  RFD-TV is in over 52 Million homes in the United States and features programs on Agribusiness, Equine and Rural lifestyles.

To learn more about Ethox Chemicals and our Agrotechnology department, click here.