What is the role of the Food and Drug Administration?
Once EPA sets the standards, it becomes the responsibility of the FDA to enforce the approved use of the pesticide. The FDA has a program with three levels of testing: surveillance, compliance, and certification. Under the surveillance system, the agency samples a representative amount of the fresh fruit and vegetable supply. If the agency’s tests show that there is a problem, then suspected produce can be seized, shipments stopped, and offenders prevented from further use of pesticides.
