The EPA wants to encourage sustainable pest control in agriculture.
Administer Andrew Wheeler made the announcement at an event with the Mississippi Farm Bureau. The $2 million dollar initiative is part of the agency’s Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program.
Applications are expected to open this month and winners will get up to $200,000 dollars to implement practices. Wheeler says that the program relies on farmers as the original stewards of the land.
“PESP is guided by the principle that while government regulation can reduce risk, the actions of users can reduce this risk more effectively and to a greater extent than by regulatory mandates,” Administer Wheeler explains.
While in Mississippi, the EPA also signed a memorandum of understanding with the state Farm Bureau, to increase collaboration on education and outreach.
