FDA FY 2024 Pesticide Residue Monitoring Report: Food Compliance, EPA Tolerances & Regulatory Implications

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released its Fiscal Year 2024 Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program Report, summarizing testing of human and animal foods conducted from October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024.

The program analyzed food samples for 781 pesticides and selected industrial compounds to assess whether pesticide residues complied with tolerances established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

Overall, FDA reported that pesticide residue levels in the U.S. food supply were generally in compliance with applicable EPA tolerances. The FY 2024 findings provide important regulatory insights for food manufacturers, importers, growers, processors and distributors operating in the U.S. market.

FDA's monitoring program is particularly relevant for companies supplying both domestic and imported foods, because compliance rates differed between domestic and imported human-food samples.

What Did FDA Monitor in FY 2024?

FDA's Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program evaluates food products to determine whether detected pesticide residues comply with applicable federal requirements.

During FY 2024, FDA analyzed:

• 781 pesticides and selected industrial compounds 
• 3,528 human food samples 
• 893 domestic human food samples 
• 2,635 imported human food samples 
• Samples from 46 states 
• Imported samples from 76 countries and economies 
• 306 animal food samples 

FDA uses this monitoring activity to determine whether pesticide residues are within applicable EPA-established tolerances or whether residues are present where no tolerance has been established. 

This creates an important compliance link:

Pesticide Use → Residue Monitoring → EPA Tolerance → FDA Compliance Assessment → Regulatory Action

Key FY 2024 Human Food Findings

The FY 2024 results showed a high overall level of compliance among domestic human food samples.

According to reported FDA findings:

The results also demonstrate why FDA maintains a risk-based approach to import sampling.

Historically, imported foods have shown a higher rate of pesticide residue violations than domestic foods. FDA considers factors such as previous compliance problems, federal and state monitoring results and foreign pesticide-use information when determining which products and countries should receive greater sampling attention. 

What Are EPA Pesticide Tolerances?

EPA establishes legal tolerances, or maximum residue levels, for pesticide residues in food under federal pesticide and food-safety authorities.

FDA's role includes enforcing applicable EPA tolerances for foods under its jurisdiction, including domestic foods shipped in interstate commerce and imported foods.

A food sample may therefore raise a regulatory concern when:

• A pesticide residue exceeds the applicable EPA tolerance; 
• A pesticide is detected where no applicable tolerance exists; 
• Residue findings indicate potential non-compliance; 
• A product falls within a higher-risk commodity or supply chain. 

FDA's monitoring program therefore connects analytical testing with enforcement of established federal residue limits. 

Domestic vs Imported Food: Why the Difference Matters

The FY 2024 results showed a notable difference between domestic and imported human-food samples.

• Domestic Human Food
• 98.2% complaint
• 1.8% violative
• Imported Human Food
• 84.4% complaint
• 15.6% violative

This difference does not mean that imported foods generally contain unsafe pesticide levels. Rather, FDA uses risk-based sampling, and imported products may be specifically targeted based on factors associated with a higher likelihood of non-compliance. 

For companies importing food into the United States, the findings reinforce the importance of proactive pesticide-residue controls before products reach the U.S. market.

Animal Food Monitoring Findings

FDA also analyzed 306 animal food samples during FY 2024.

The reported compliance results were:

FDA's animal-food monitoring forms part of its broader chemical-contaminant surveillance program and supports protection of animal health as well as the safety of food and feed ingredients. 

Focused Sampling of Domestic Animal-Derived Foods

FDA also conducted focused sampling of domestically produced animal-derived foods.

The FY 2024 assignment included 110 samples, consisting of:

• 29 milk samples 
• 34 shell egg samples 
• 19 honey samples 
• 28 game meat samples 

FDA reported no violative pesticide residues in these samples, while 93.6% contained no detectable pesticide residues. 

These findings provide additional monitoring information for food businesses dealing with animal-derived commodities and ingredients.

Why Pesticide Residue Compliance Matters for Food Businesses

Pesticide residue compliance is not limited to agricultural producers.

The regulatory implications can extend across the food supply chain, including:

Growers → Processors → Ingredient Suppliers → Importers → Manufacturers → Distributors → Retailers

Companies should understand the pesticide-use and residue risks associated with their raw materials and finished products.

Important considerations include:

• Agricultural sourcing controls 
• Supplier qualification 
• Pesticide-use information 
• Commodity-specific risks 
• Country-of-origin considerations 
• Laboratory testing 
• EPA tolerance verification 
• Import compliance 
• Specifications for raw materials 
• Traceability 
• Corrective actions 
• Documentation and records 

What Happens When Residues Exceed Applicable Requirements?

FDA monitoring can identify products where pesticide residues do not comply with applicable federal requirements.

Potential issues may involve:

1. Residue Above EPA Tolerance

A detected pesticide concentration exceeds the legally established tolerance for the relevant food commodity.

2. No Established Tolerance

A pesticide residue is detected on a commodity for which an applicable EPA tolerance has not been established.

3. Import Compliance Concerns

Imported foods can receive increased regulatory attention when sampling identifies recurring compliance issues.

4. Regulatory Follow-Up

Depending on the circumstances, FDA may take appropriate regulatory action when products are found to violate applicable requirements. 

What the FY 2024 Report Means for Importers

For companies importing food into the United States, the report reinforces the importance of pre-import compliance controls.

Importers should consider reviewing:

• Supplier pesticide-use practices 
• Country-specific agricultural practices 
• Commodity-specific pesticide risks 
• Certificates and analytical documentation 
• Residue testing strategies 
• Supplier qualification programs
• FDA import requirements 
• EPA tolerance status 
• Historical compliance performance 
• Corrective and preventive action procedures 

A supplier's historical compliance should not automatically be treated as evidence that every future shipment will comply.

FAQs

1. What is the FDA Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program?

It is FDA's regulatory monitoring program for assessing pesticide residues in foods and determining whether findings comply with applicable federal requirements, including EPA-established tolerances.

2. How many pesticides did FDA monitor in FY 2024?

FDA's FY 2024 program covered 781 pesticides and selected industrial compounds. 

3. Were domestic food samples generally compliant?

Yes. FDA reported that 98.2% of domestic human food samples were compliant with federal standards in FY 2024. 

4. How did imported human food samples compare?

FDA reported 84.4% compliance among imported human food samples tested during FY 2024. 

5. Does detecting a pesticide automatically mean a food is non-compliant?

No. Detection alone does not necessarily constitute a violation. Compliance depends on factors including the applicable EPA tolerance and the measured residue level.

6. Why are EPA tolerances important?

EPA establishes pesticide tolerances that define allowable residue levels on food. FDA monitors and enforces these requirements for foods under its jurisdiction. 

7. Should food importers conduct pesticide-residue assessments?

Importers should evaluate the pesticide-residue risks relevant to their commodities, suppliers and countries of origin and maintain controls appropriate to their regulatory and supply-chain obligations.

Conclusion

The FDA FY 2024 Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program Report provides important insight into pesticide-residue compliance across the U.S. food supply.

The overall findings indicate that pesticide residue levels were generally compliant with applicable EPA tolerances, while the difference between domestic and imported sample compliance highlights the importance of risk-based monitoring and supply-chain controls. 

For food manufacturers, importers, processors and suppliers, pesticide compliance should be approached as an ongoing supply-chain responsibility rather than a one-time testing activity.

Effective programs can combine:

Supplier Qualification + Pesticide Risk Assessment + EPA Tolerance Review + Analytical Testing + Traceability + Regulatory Monitoring

As FDA continues its pesticide-residue surveillance program, companies supplying food to the U.S. market should maintain current knowledge of applicable tolerances, commodity risks and regulatory expectations.

How Maven Regulatory Solutions Can Help

Maven Regulatory Solutions supports food manufacturers, importers and supply-chain organizations with regulatory and compliance programs related to food safety and market access.

Our support can include:

• FDA Food Regulatory Compliance 
• Pesticide Residue Compliance Assessment 
• EPA Tolerance Review 
• Food Import Compliance 
• Supplier Compliance Assessment 
• Food Safety Regulatory Review 
• Analytical Testing Strategy 
• Risk Assessment 
• Regulatory Documentation 
• Compliance Gap Assessment 
• CAPA & Remediation Support 
• FDA Regulatory Intelligence 
• Market Entry & Compliance Support 

Maven Regulatory Solutions — Science. Compliance. Impact.