Bill Overview
Title: BAN OPs From Our Food Act
Description: This bill prohibits any organophosphate pesticides in food. (The Environmental Protection Agency banned chlorpyrifos, a type of organophosphate pesticide, from food in February 2022.)
Sponsors: Rep. Velazquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
Target Audience
Population: People consuming foods that previously used organophosphate pesticides
Estimated Size: 331000000
- Organophosphate pesticides are commonly used in agriculture to control pests on crops.
- The prohibition of these pesticides will directly impact farmers, as they will need to find alternatives for pest control.
- Consumers will be impacted by potential changes in food prices or availability if alternative pest control methods are more expensive or less efficient.
- The health of individuals consuming food may be positively impacted by reduced exposure to organophosphate residues in their diet.
- There are approximately 7.9 billion people in the world (as of 2021), a significant portion of whom consume food imported from or grown in the USA.
Reasoning
- The prohibition of neurotoxic organophosphate pesticides will likely affect several demographics: farmers, due to changes in pest control methods, and consumers, due to potential impacts on food prices and health improvements. The focus is on perceivable impacts on people's lives and their self-reported wellbeing, particularly in terms of health and economic security.
- There is a high level of uncertainty regarding how alternatives to these pesticides will be implemented and their cost-effectiveness. This policy might incur costs related to finding and implementing alternative pest management solutions.
- The impact will differ substantially across demographics. For example, farmers might face economic challenges initially, while urban consumers could see health improvements and, eventually, possibly price increases. We aim to capture a diverse picture of the population to reflect this complexity.
- Given the policy's budget constraints, the implementation will need to be timely and efficient, targeting education and support for those most affected, especially in agricultural areas.
Simulated Interviews
Large-scale vegetable farmer (California, USA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I worry about the initial cost and learning curve for new pest control methods.
- Long-term, I think it's probably a good idea for health reasons.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Grocery store manager (New York, USA)
Age: 37 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Prices may rise if suppliers incur higher costs.
- It's a good step for public health and safety.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Stay-at-home mom (Texas, USA)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm relieved that the food will be safer for my kids.
- I might need to pay a bit more for certain products.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Rancher (North Dakota, USA)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This doesn't affect me much personally, but I know some neighbors might struggle initially.
- I believe in supporting health-conscious farming methods.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Food blogger and environmental activist (Illinois, USA)
Age: 30 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is a big win for the environment and consumer health.
- We still need more support for sustainable farmer practices.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Retired school teacher (Florida, USA)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our food should definitely be free of harmful chemicals.
- I'm curious about how this will impact local produce availability.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
College student (Massachusetts, USA)
Age: 19 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The act aligns perfectly with what I'm studying and advocating for.
- Looking forward to seeing more people adopt sustainable practices.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Middle school teacher (Ohio, USA)
Age: 54 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Healthier food options are crucial for kids' health.
- This might lead to increases in classroom discussions around food and safety.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Head chef at a farm-to-table restaurant (Georgia, USA)
Age: 41 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I support the move towards safer, more natural ingredients.
- Our restaurant already doesn't use these, so minimal impact for us.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Agricultural scientist (Oregon, USA)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's great to see policy backing what I research.
- I hope for increased funding and support in developing alternatives.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $2000000000 (Low: $1500000000, High: $2500000000)
Year 2: $2100000000 (Low: $1575000000, High: $2625000000)
Year 3: $2205000000 (Low: $1653750000, High: $2756250000)
Year 5: $2425500000 (Low: $1819125000, High: $3031875000)
Year 10: $2989825000 (Low: $2242368750, High: $3737281250)
Year 100: $7926690625 (Low: $5945017969, High: $9908363281)
Key Considerations
- The availability and cost of alternative pesticides or pest control methods.
- The short-term impact on crop yields and food prices.
- The enforcement and regulatory costs associated with implementing the ban.
- Potential public health benefits, including reductions in pesticide-related illnesses.