On August 3, 1996 President Clinton signed the Food Quality Protection Act. The new food safety legislation provides a comprehensive overhaul to strengthen the nation's food safety system that regulates pesticides on foods -- reforms that the Clinton Administration has urged since 1993. These reforms replace the current system, resulting in protections that will ensure health and safety for all American families in three important ways:

A more better standard to increase protection from pesticide exposure. The new law calls for a stronger, health-based standard to be applied across the board, for all pesticide uses on foods. American families will be assured of more comprehensive protection from any pesticide, on any food they buy.

Provisions to protect the health of infants and children from pesticide risks. Several provisions will specifically protect infants and children from pesticide health risks. The Act requires an explicit determination that the allowable levels of pesticide residues on food are safe for children and requires EPA to consider children's special sensitivity and exposure to chemicals when setting limits.

Expansion of consumers' right-to-know about pesticide health risks. To ensure that Americans have both comprehensive health protection and the tools they need to protect themselves from pesticide risks, the Act include special right-to-know provisions that would provide more public information than ever before about risks from pesticides on foods.

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