ARLINGTON, VA – In February, the European Union announced it was banning propiconazole (
see USA Rice Daily, April 19, 2021) later this year, despite existing maximum residue levels (MRLs) well below the MRL established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Rice Stuff podcast looks at this move, what led to it, what it means to the U.S. rice industry, and the impact MRLs have across the board.
First, USA Rice Vice President of International Trade Peter Bachmann discusses the difference between regulations made in the public interest and what amount to non-tariff barriers to trade. Then Dr. Jarrod Hardke of the University of Arkansas, Roberta Firoved from the California Rice Commission, and USA Rice’s own Dr. Steve Linscombe join the podcast to dissect the politics and science of MRLs and regulatory actions.
“The process of bringing a crop protection product to market is long and expensive, and safety and efficacy are calculated, checked, and re-checked every step of the way,” said Linscombe. “The propiconazole ban takes an effective, low-cost tool out of the farmer’s toolbox and I think the science behind the decision is questionable.”
Show co-host Michael Klein asked the panel to explore the notion that regulations resulting in products being banned or having warning labels affixed to them could easily backfire.
“I see a real potential for consumers to overreact or to become desensitized to warnings that are so wide-spread they become essentially meaningless,” he said. “It’s so important to get this right and base it on sound science.”
In addition to unpacking the intended and unintended consequences of the coming propiconazole ban, Klein and co-host Lesley Dixon also shared some interesting, and notorious, unintended consequences of actions through history.
New episodes of
The Rice Stuff are published on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month and can be found on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. All episodes and additional information can be found on the podcast’s dedicated website at
thericestuffpodcast.com. The site includes a “Podcast 101” section on the “About” page for people new to the medium and a means to reach out to the show hosts and guests via the “Talk to Us” button.