USDA/EPA TO ANNOUNCE NEW APPROACH TO MINOR USE PESTICIDES ISSUES
                                                                               
                                                                               

                                             Release No. 0304.97 
                                                               
    Media Advisory.                                            
                                                                 
                                  Jim Petterson  (202) 720-4623
                                         jim.petterson@usda.gov
                                   Maria Bynum   (202) 720-5192
                                           maria.bynum@usda.gov


USDA/EPA TO ANNOUNCE NEW APPROACH TO MINOR USE PESTICIDES ISSUES

     WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 1997--Deputy Agriculture Secretary Richard
Rominger and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Assistant Administrator
for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances Lynn Goldman will announce a
new coordinated approach to minor use pesticides issues Monday, Sept. 8 at a
noon briefing at USDA.

     The Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA) requires that USDA and
EPA build on their cooperative relationship to ensure that the best possible
data is available to make regulatory decisions.   

     The two agencies will announce the creation of a new office and team
that will focus on increasing the involvement of producers of minor crops in
data collection on pesticide use and pest management--information used to
make regulatory decisions.

     The media is invited to attend in Room 104-A of USDA's Jamie Whitten
Federal Building.


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