U.S. Department of Agriculture Grant: Assisting Specialty Crop Exports by Providing MRL Information

U.S. Specialty Crop producers feed the United States and the world with nutritious fruits, nuts, herbs, and vegetables. Yet, U.S. specialty crop producers face many unique barriers to successfully exporting their high-value products to international markets. Specialty crops are disproportionately affected by maximum residue limit (MRL) related trade barriers, including residue tolerances of pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. Differences among registration systems, monitoring, and inspection programs, and the values of MRLs across different markets pose a significant difficulty for trade of these products. Exporters can be limited in access to markets where an MRL is set lower than their domestic market or where an MRL is absent. Missing or restrictive MRLs force producers to either discontinue use of best practices or modify their use pattern in such a way as to make them ineffective. Missing MRLs are a particular problem for specialty crops as many do not have established Codex Alimentarius (Codex) MRLs, and there are differences in registration assessments and data requirements across countries when establishing national MRLs.