A consumer advocacy group suggests eliminating all pesticide residues by banning modern pesticides outright. Evaluate this policy proposal by selecting the most balanced critique considering public health, agriculture, and regulation.

• A. Recommend eliminating consumer guidance and relying solely on farmers because agricultural producers are fully capable of adjusting practices without public oversight or consumer education on residues.
• B. While reducing pesticide exposures is a reasonable goal, an outright ban could harm food production and safety; a balanced approach is stronger: strengthen residue monitoring, promote integrated pest management, enforce existing EPA tolerances, and empower consumers with washing/peeling guidance.
• C. Support a total ban because any pesticide residue is unacceptable and there are no benefits to pesticide use in modern agriculture, making all current regulatory frameworks obsolete.
• D. Advise that pesticide residues are irrelevant; instead focus only on industrial pollutants like dioxins because those are the only contaminants that matter for public health.

Answer: (B)