The year 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). The act represented a major shift in U.S. pesticide policy by replacing traditional chemical-specific standards with a comprehensive health-based framework for regulating pesticide residues in food.
Under the FQPA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) share responsibility for pesticide regulation. Together, these agencies establish residue standards, conduct dietary exposure assessments, and enforce requirements designed to protect public health. In practice, EPA applies a risk assessment framework that incorporates updated toxicological standards, aggregate exposure assessments, and additional protections for infants and children.
At the state level, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) independently monitors and evaluates food produced or sold in California. CDPR tracks pesticide use and evaluates residue data to assess whether a certain pesticide poses an unacceptable dietary risk. Throughout the corporation, federal and state agencies conduct a science-based regulatory process that protects food safety and strengthens public confidence in the safety of U.S. agricultural products.
This presentation reviews the history and key provisions of pesticide residues in food and examines how federal and state agencies carry out their responsibilities under the FQPA. It focuses particularly on pesticide regulation and dietary risk protection in the United States.