When it comes to reporting on residue monitoring results from state and federal governments, writing this blog can feel like “déjà vu all over again.” Why?  Because the findings are always so similar: Over 99% of residues, if present at all, on food samples are well below tolerances set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  The most recent report with these findings came from the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this month.

The FDA further concluded:  “The findings in this report demonstrate that overall levels of pesticide chemical residues measured by the FDA are below EPA’s tolerances, and therefore at levels that are not concerning for public health.”

Despite the consistency of these results, consumers often don’t see or hear this information because media coverage of these report releases is dismally low.  Which is why the Alliance for Food and Farming does its best to focus attention on this good news and write (very similar) blog posts each year.

To prove our point, here are United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Pesticide Data Program report results we wrote about in February:   “Over 99% of samples tested had residues well below tolerances established by the Environmental Protection Agency; Pesticide residues pose no risk of concern for infants and children; and, the results provide consumers with confidence that the products they buy for their families are safe and wholesome.”

Or how about this blog excerpt: “In California, where a majority of the fruits and veggies are grown, the Department of Pesticide Regulation annual sampling program found that 97% of foods sampled had residues below EPA tolerances with 40% of the samples showing no detectable residues at all.”

To learn more about the residue sampling findings by FDA, read this post by the Nutrition Diva, Monica Reinagel MS, LD/N, CNS, featuring an interview with Dr. Carl Winter, a toxicologist with UC Davis.

And, don’t be confused if you feel like you’ve read all this before. You have – same story, different day.