What is the primary focus of the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996?

The primary focus of the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 is to establish a health-based standard for pesticide risks to food and feed. This legislation significantly changed how pesticide approvals and tolerances are set, emphasizing the protection of public health, especially for vulnerable populations such as children. The act mandates that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ensures that the residue levels of pesticides on food are safe for consumers, taking into account cumulative exposure to pesticides with similar mechanisms of action.

This focus is crucial because it shifts the perspective from merely regulating pesticide use to a more comprehensive approach that considers human health as the priority in determining safety thresholds. The act also requires that all registered pesticide residues in food are subjected to a rigorous risk assessment process, considering both long-term and short-term exposure effects.

This contrasts with the other options, which do not directly represent the main aim of the act. For example, the regulation of all pesticides is broader than the specific focus on food safety. Ensuring that pesticides are environmentally friendly or promoting organic farming practices are important topics but are not the primary concern that the Food Quality Protection Act addresses.