ABSTRACT
The Green Revolution, which transformed US agriculture to be chemical input reliant, also helped to create a chemical pesticide addiction in the developing world. Although chemical pesticides still dominate in most of Asia, government-sponsored Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs are beginning to play a larger role in many areas. One of the most important international agreements relating to the import and export of pesticides throughout the world is the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade. The Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement was created to ensure that regulations, standards, testing, and certification procedures do not erect unnecessary barriers to international trade. The Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Agreement establishes restrictions on member parties food safety policies regarding pesticides, inspection, labeling, and bacterial contaminants, and on members animal and plant health policies regarding imported pests and diseases.
