The U.S. Senate passed legislation reauthorizing the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act on a unanimous vote. The measure’s purpose is to establish a framework for registering pesticides with the Environmental Protection Agency. South Dakota Corn Grower’s Association Vice President Doug Noem says it’s positive they’ve moved forward with that bill.

He says while it’s difficult to predict what the House will do, they’re still hopeful the broad support reached on it in the Senate may help convince Representatives to also approve the measure.

Noem says it’s always best when legislators and regulators base their decisions on sound science.

The intent of the legislation when it first passed in the Senate in June of 2018 was to create a more predictable and effective evaluation process for affected pesticide decisions.