Pesticides

Consumers rely on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to test imported and domestic crops for prohibited pesticides. Yet FDA has once again failed to meet some important milestones in developing the Import Support and Information System, which is intended to replace FDA's cumbersome manual processes and enhance the ability of FDA inspectors to stop imported foods adulterated with illegal pesticide residues from reaching U.S. grocery shelves. FDA has no idea when the system will be finished. GAO reported in September 1992 (GAO/RCED-92-205) that in four FDA districts about a third of the imported food in which FDA detected prohibited pesticides was not returned by importers to the Customs Service for supervised destruction or export. GAO continues to believes that FDA needs the authority to impose civil administrative penalties on importers who illegally distribute adulterated food shipments. FDA could also use its resources more effectively if it allowed its district offices greater discretion in placing growers and their imported foods on automatic detention status.