Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain AT-332; Exemption From the Requirement of a Pesticide Tolerance
Key claim: EPA is allowing the microbial pesticide Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain AT-332 to be used on all food and feed crops without a residue limit, as long as it is used according to the label.
Abstract
(Rule · Environmental Protection Agency) This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain AT-332 in or on all food and feed commodities when used in accordance with label directions and good agricultural practices. Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), Gowan Company, in cooperation with SDS Biotech K.K., c/o Landis International, Inc., submitted a petition to EPA requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of this pesticide when used in accordance with the terms of the exemption.
Why this matters
Tolerance exemptions for microbial biopesticides like Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain AT-332 expand the toolbox of lower-risk crop protection products growers can use without triggering residue testing or enforcement at the food level. For consumers and food prices, the practical effect is minimal, but the cumulative pattern of such exemptions reflects EPA’s ongoing treatment of biological pest control agents as presenting negligible dietary risk.