摘要：This study examines consumer dietary intake of pesticide residues to develop a ranking of priorities for development of alternative pest control programs. There are two ways the Federal government can manage dietary risks from use of pesticides: regulations that restrict farmers' use of pesticides and research to develop safer, alternative pest controls. Agricultural scientists have a long history of developing plants that resist insect and disease pests. With the advent of biotechnology, there are many new possibilities for developing pest control methods. Little is known about how cost-effectively to reduce risks. Here we develop much of the information needed to focus research and regulatory resources efficiently to reduce risks from dietary residue intake. To accomplish this goal, we need a broad and detailed perspective of dietary risks. We need to be able to rank the different risks, establish their sources, and measure how much risks would change with different research choices. The more precisely sources of risk are identified, the more policies can be targeted to reduce risk.
