The Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) is the correct answer because it specifically established a framework for the regulation of pesticides and mandated that all pesticides meet new safety standards, particularly for human health and the environment. Under this law, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to assess the safety of pesticide residues on food and the potential risks they pose to infants and children, emphasizing the importance of testing and evaluation.
This act significantly strengthened the regulatory process by combining food safety and pesticide regulation, creating a more rigorous standard for the approval of pesticides in relation to public health and safety. The FQPA was instrumental in ensuring that currently used pesticides would be reevaluated to meet these new safety standards, thereby enhancing consumer protection and environmental safety.
The other options relate to pesticide regulation and safety but do not specifically focus on the requirement for new safety standards. The Pesticide Registration Improvement Act primarily addresses the efficiency of the pesticide registration process. The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act provides the foundational regulatory framework for pesticide use and labeling but predates the enhanced safety measures established by the FQPA. The Environmental Protection Act is a broader piece of legislation concerning environmental protection as a whole rather than specific pesticide safety standards.