Mission Statement for PPDC AZM Transition Issues Workgroup 

EPA and USDA are committed to working towards a reasonable transition
for pesticide uses which have been cancelled or phased-out under FIFRA
and FQPA. To that end, EPA and USDA are co-sponsoring a workgroup on
transition issues under the auspices of the EPA Pesticide Program
Dialogue Committee (PPDC) -- an advisory committee chartered under the
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). This AZM Transition Issues
Workgroup’s focus will be to provide advice (through the PPDC) to EPA
and USDA on the implementation of EPA’s decision to phase out the
remaining uses of the organophosphate, azinphos-methyl (AZM), over the
next few years. EPA expects that this phase-out will encourage and
facilitate transition to safer alternatives and reduce risks to
farmworkers, pesticide applicators, and aquatic ecosystems. EPA and USDA
want this workgroup to help focus our efforts on the key activities
needed for the successful transition. 

The objectives and goals of this PPDC workgroup include: 

1. Identifying a framework for reasonable transition towards lower risk
strategies, taking into account grower concerns over economic, trade and
regulatory barriers to adoption of alternatives; 

2. Identifying ways to improve understanding of the critical grower
needs and perspectives of all stakeholders regarding the transition; 

3. Identifying programs/mechanisms to provide reduced-risk pest
management strategies and techniques to growers – including chemical
and non-chemical alternatives to AZM; 

4. Recommending ways to assist growers in their good faith efforts as
they try AZM alternatives and feasible, cost-effective techniques; 

5. Fostering transparency and public participation in decision-making;
and, 

6. Providing process recommendations to ensure that AZM transition
progress is tracked and assessed and reported back to the PPDC. 

