Northwest Horticultural Council

Chemical and Food Safety Alerts

USDA’s 2026 Pesticide Residue Testing Includes Cherries, Sampling Begins in April

The USDA Pesticide Data Program (PDP) will include cherries in its national pesticide residue monitoring this year. This is part of the routine rotation of the fresh and processed produce analyzed by the program. Cherries were last tested in 2016. The PDP’s sampling of cherries begins April 6, 2026.

The PDP collects pesticide residue data on a wide variety of domestic and imported foods, with an emphasis on those most likely consumed by infants and children. The data consistently show that 99 percent of sampled products have residues below the legal limit established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

More information on the PDP and its residue database can be found on the USDA website.

If you have any questions, please contact Virna Stillwaugh, vice president for scientific affairs, at 509-453-3193.

Posted: 3/23/2026