PMPs Use Capitol Hill Visits to Push for Preemption

Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON – A record number of pest management professionals traveled to Washington, D.C., to make their voices heard on the importance of pesticide preemption during NPMA Legislative Day this week.

NPMA CEO Dominique Stumpf said the record-breaking attendance is a testament to the commitment and passion that pest management professionals bring to the profession. “Your presence here not only strengthens our collective voice on Capitol Hill, but it also demonstrates the unity and resolve of our industry as we advocate for issues that impact our businesses and the communities that we serve every day.”

Attendees used this year’s Capitol Hill visits to connect with their legislators — many of whom are new following last November’s election — and to share the pest control industry’s perspective on the need for federal codification of pesticide preemption, expected to be included the next version of the Farm Bill.

The pest control industry is among a coalition of groups pushing for legislation to codify the role of state lead agencies as co-regulators of pesticides alongside the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Currently, 45 states have preemption laws in place, meaning these states’ lead agencies — typically housed within state agriculture departments — have worked in tandem with the EPA since the 1970s to administer the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and to support the creation of scientifically based pesticide labels. In states without preemption — Alaska, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Nevada — PMPs face the challenge of navigating and complying with varying laws and regulations across the different communities they serve. 

JD Darr, senior director of public policy, NPMA, shared problems of regulating pesticides at the local level, including the lack of a public engagement process, inconsistent local laws that remain unenforced and insufficient personnel hinder the creation of science-based regulations. Additionally, Darr said, limited local budgets prevent the maintenance of an effective pesticide regulatory program and law enforcement.

Darr said he thinks the Farm Bill will be introduced later this year, so it is important for PMPs to have their voices heard on this issue now.

Other Legislative Day highlights included:

PCT and BASF presented the 2024 Technician of the Year Awards to Chad Gilbert. Northwest Exterminating, Marietta, Ga. (residential), Dylan Blasingame, Blasingame Pest Management, Griffin, Ga. (commercial) and Tim Elliott, Augustine Exterminators, Overland Park, Kan. (termite). PCT then presented the results from this year's annual research program, which was done in partnership with NPMA and with sponsorship from BASF. This year’s research project was “What Keeps You Up at Night.” We surveyed readers to find PMPs’ top worries (higher costs, hiring and retaining good employees, etc.) and how the industry is responding by raising prices thoughtfully, training smart, banking on growth and expanding their marketing efforts.

At the Monday Envu-sponsored luncheon, Jacob Kulzer, vice president of operations, North America at Ecolab, was presented with the 2025 David Cooksey PestVet of the Year Award, and Justin McCauley, CEO of McCauley Services in Benton, Ark., was named NPMA's 2025 Policy Person of the Year (read more). 

Following the awards presentation, Darr moderated a debate between Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson (D) and veteran political consultant Doug Heye (R). In the first few weeks of President Donald Trump’s second term, adviser Elon Musk has been a lighting rod, leading many to question how long he will last. “One thing we know with Donald Trump is that if your last name is not Trump, at some point, your relationship with him goes South,” said Heye, who added that Musk's wealth might give him the ability to navigate this dynamic in a way others have not. Robinson critiqued Trump's recent address to the Joint Session of Congress, which he described as “disjointed and lacking clear substance.” He said the speech mirrored the chaotic and unclear nature of the first six weeks of Trump's administration.

Politico columnist Jonathan Martin spoke in a Monday afternoon session sponsored by Corteva. Martin is the co-author of the NY Times bestselling book “This Will Not Pass,” which recounts the 2020 election and the first year of the Biden presidency. Martin provided insights on the current state of American politics, including the impact of technology and social media on political discourse. For example, one of the contributors to political tribalism is the rise of biased, unfiltered websites and blogs. Martin said, “When you're surrounded by a sea of saltwater looking for a drink, it's tempting to dip into any kind of water you can find, but a lot of the links that you're going to see on a Facebook feed or an Instagram page or any kind of social media feed….you don't know what the credibility is necessarily.” Martin encouraged attendees to read broadly and read credible sources, including journalists who work for news organizations with editors and standards. “Maybe you don't like all that they do in politics, but they have standards in place. They have editors,” he said.

In Tuesday morning's Control Solutions-sponsored session, Sarah Isgur, media personality and senior editor at The Dispatch, gave additional insights on the evolution of Congress, including how policy decisions have shifted away from Congress and to the president. Isgur stressed the importance of Hill meetings to “put pressure on where it’s supposed to be — the Congress," she said. "The Hill is where it’s supposed to be and the only way it’s going to work is to lobby them and it may take a while to figure it out, but that’s okay, that’s how sustainability is created."

The Headquarters on the Hill, sponsored by MGK, featured U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) both of whom shared personal experiences on the importance of advocating for public health and pest control regulations. “As we look at $280 billion in cuts to the Farm Bill, it’ll be difficult for us to fund new programs,” Vasquez said. “We want to make sure the regulations we have in pest control operations are uniform so we can give small businesses the certainty they need to be able to operate in our states.” Luján urged PCOs to keep "doing the right thing," and a passed Farm Bill could be on the horizon. “We can disagree, that’s part of life, but you work it out and find a way to mend whatever needs mended," Luján said. "When you have a customer calling, you’re not asking who they vote for. You’re responding because they need your help.”