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TESTIMONY OF 



JAY J. VROOM 



PRESIDENT 



NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS ASSOCIATION 



FOR THE 



UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 



COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE 



SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT, CREDIT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT 



NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION ON AGRICULTURAL LANDS 

 MARCH 23, 1994 



Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, I appreciate this 

 opportunity to provide written comments on nonpoint source (NPS) 

 impact of agricultural pesticides on water quality as they pertain 

 to the reauthorization of the Clean Water Act (CWA) . 



I represent the National Agricultural Chemicals Association (NACA) , 

 a not-for-profit trade organization of manufacturers and 

 formulators of pest control products employed in agricultural 

 production. NACA' s membership is composed of the companies which 

 produce and sell virtually all of the active ingredients found in 

 crop protection materials and a large percentage of the formulated 

 products registered for use in the United States. 



We also represent an affiliated membership category of non- 

 agricultural pesticides, which operates under the name RISE 

 (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment) . Together, NACA and 

 RISE address key pesticide issues, including the subject of today's 

 hearing. 



Agriculture Coinmittee in CWA Reauthorization 



Protecting our water resources is a critical role for our farmer 

 customers. Agriculture, by necessity, involves the disturbance of 

 soil and native species, the addition of various production inputs, 

 and use of large quantities of water. Reconciling these 

 requirements with the need to simultaneously protect water 

 resources, aquatic species and the rest of the ecosystem has become 

 one of the most important challenges facing agriculture. 



We welcome this committee's involvement in the reauthorization 

 process, providing Congress with needed perspective on balancing 

 food production needs with those of environmental protection. 



My comments today will examine three aspects of CWA 

 reauthorization: (a) agriculture and pesticides in the NPS 

 pollution debate; (b) important considerations for successful NPS 

 legislation; and (c) our significant concerns with HR 3948, the 

 Mineta/Boehlert clean water bill. 



