The EPA and Food Security Current as of May 2012 The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for a
number of activities that contribute to food security within the
United States, in areas such as food safety, water quality, and
pesticide applicator training. Through the exchange of
expertise, EPA also contributes to food security throughout the
world. EPA’s primary contribution to food security is through
its program to regulate the use of pesticides. EPA is
responsible for ensuring that the American public is protected
from potential health risks posed by eating foods that have been
treated with pesticides. The Agency is responsible both for the
registration of new pesticides before they can be marketed and
the re-registration of older pesticides to ensure that they meet
current scientific standards. In the ten years after the passage
of the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996, EPA undertook a
comprehensive review of tolerances for pesticide residues in
food, with an emphasis on increasing