Return to Archives

 

PEP-TALK
OSU Extension Pesticide Education Program
Vol 3 Issue 4 April 1998

In This Issue:

MESUROL SLN DENIED FOR OHIO
On April 2, 1998 the USEPA notified ODA that they intended to disallow the Special Local Need (SLN) 24c registration for Mesurol 50 HBT by Gowan. This use was for a hopper box treatment on seed for control of crows, starlings etc. in corn.

Earlier, Doug Andrews of APHIS supplied a label to all counties for this use. ODA has asked us to notify counties that the use of Mesurol HBT is illegal. (Tom Camm, ODA, April 2, 1998)

Gowan's Registration Specialist, Carolyn Collins, stated in a recent letter, "Gowan Company is withdrawing the Mesurol 50 HBT Special Local Need registration in Ohio. We have recently been notified by EPA that the Mesurol 50 HBT 24© registrations will be denied because they do not have sufficient time to review the data submitted in support of this product. The Section 3 application that was submitted to EPA in August of 1997 will not be reviewed in time to support the use of this product during the 1998 or 1999 corn growing seasons."
(David A. Rickard, Email, April 8, 1998)

1998 - 1999 OSU PAT RECERTIFICATION DATES & LOCATIONS
November 24, 1998 Cleveland / Independence Holiday Inn
December 16, 1998 Dayton Convention Center
January 13, 1999 Perrysburg French Quarters
January 21, 1999 Columbus Convention Center

1999 NEW APPLICATOR SCHOOLS - Fawcett Center
February 23, 1999 Industrial Veg (5a), Mosquito, Fly, Vector (10d)
February 24, 1999 Turf (8)
February 25, 1999 Ornamentals, (6a), Agronomics (2a/c)

MORE FQPA NEWS
As a followup to last issue's editorial on FQPA, the following press article discusses Vice President Gore's memo to EOA last week. His memo is likely the result of an escalating lobbying campaign by agriculture and chemical industries who have complained about EPA's approach to FQPA especially as they began reviewing the organophosphates.

Gore Moves To Calm Farm Sector on Pesticide Law
WASHINGTON -- The White House, in what can be described as a move to ease farm sector concerns, released a memo that Vice President Al Gore sent to EPA Administrator Carol Browner and Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman outlining principles that it wants followed as the government tightens controls on pesticides that may linger in food. The memo directs the agencies to work together closely to carry out the food safety law (FQPA), a move that farm groups and pesticide manufacturers hope means the USDA will exert more clout with the EPA, which they say is being overzealous in regulating pesticides. In addition to calling for input from the more farmer-friendly USDA, the memo also stresses the need to get views from interest groups and from scientists outside the EPA as the government reviews whether to allow use of a new pesticide or to continue use of products on the market.

The Grocery Manufacturers Association was cited as saying the memo reaffirmed the need for "sound science" and not "political activism" to guide enforcement of the food safety law, adding, "GMA and dozens of other food and agriculture groups have expressed concern that EPA is too strictly interpreting residue levels of pesticides that help protect food products from insects that can severely harm crops and produce." Mark Maslyn, of the American Farm Bureau Federation was quoted as saying, "The principles that they've outlined here are very good. We hope the end product will reflect those principles."

David Wallinga, a physician with the Natural Resources Defense Council's public health program, was cited as saying he was concerned that the policies could slow removal of dangerous pesticides, adding "I think that implementation of this law ought to be driven by a need to protect kids rather than a rush to placate the pesticide industry." White House officials said the memo, to be published in the Federal Register, should not be read as backtracking from the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996.

Gore was cited as saying in his memo that he understood that the EPA did not intend to cancel any significant pesticide uses this growing season, adding, "If this should change based on new information, there should be immediate consultation with USDA and the affected constituencies." Gore outlined other steps for a "reasonable transition for agriculture," including providing time and technical help to change to new pest management strategies and speeding EPA approval of alternative products. He said the EPA and USDA should review their budgets and within 14 days find additional resources to speed product approvals and expand alternative pest management strategies. Also within 14 days, Gore said the two agencies should consult to set up a system to get a variety of outside views including various interest groups, state and local agencies, Congress and the public.

The memo was also quoted as saying, "President Clinton and I will not waver in our commitment to protecting children's health. Nor are we willing to sacrifice the strength and competitiveness of our agricultural communities."
(Reuters / AP, Vicki Allen, forwarded by John Impson, USDA, e-mail, April 8, 1998)

USAGE DATABASE ON OP'S BEING PREPARED
"A Washington D.C., agricultural policy institute is nearing completion of a database which will help EPA quantify "real world" exposures to organophosphate pesticides." (P & T News, March 26, 1998) The group expects to finish the database next month.

This database will provide a significant part of the OP exposure scenarios which the agency, under FQPA, is required to develop. Each page of the report will identify why an OP is used, where it is used and why it is used.

States are also required to create databases providing actual use data on OP s. This will be difficult for many states where state agricultural agencies do not work closely with university extension people or with commodity groups.

(P & T News, March 26, 1998)

NOVARTIS TO TERMINATE PRODUCTION OF OP'S
Novartis announced that it plans to reduce its line of insecticides from 26 to 11 active ingredients, ending the company's production of several older organophosphate pesticides (OPs), including dichlorvos, disulfoton, formothion, isazofos, monocrotophos and phosphamidon. Novartis, which was established in 1996 from the merger of Ciba Geigy and Sandoz, believes its future marketing prospects for these products is limited, partly owing to market share erosion by generic brands and also because some countries have imposed bans or restrictions on their use.

A schedule for terminating production of the OPs has not been released, but Novartis says the process has already begun and will be carried out on a country by country basis depending on local marketing and regulatory conditions. (http://www.panna.org/panna/) (Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA), E-mail, April 1, 1998)

UN CURBS PESTICIDE USE
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- The United States and 94 other nations have agreed on a deal to monitor and curb the use of dangerous chemicals and pesticides -- setting binding legal restrictions on the $30 billion-a-year industry, the United Nations announced today.

"It will make the trade safer for mainly developing nations that import these materials," said Maria de Azevedo Rodrigues, chairwoman of the international convention.

U.N. officials said the agreement would impose important controls without banning the 27 products. They stressed the chemicals can be useful in limited doses -- for example DDT, which is used in some places to control mosquitoes that carry malaria.

"Banning is not always a viable solution," Azevedo Rodrigues said. The agreement will be signed in September at a conference in the Netherlands. An interim agreement will cover the essentials of the deal until then.

The pact took two years to negotiate because countries failed to agree on how far to limit the trade in the hazardous products.

Under the deal, chemicals banned or restricted in any two nations cannot be exported without the explicit agreement of the importing nation. Exporters will have to fully inform importing nations of the nature of such products.

Trade often goes from developed countries to developing nations.

Among the signatories are all 29 member nations of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the club of industrialized nations, including the major exporters of such chemicals.

(Carol Ramsay, Ext. Pesticide Education Coordinator, WSU, March 17, 1998)

CHEMICAL & LABEL UPDATE
The following information provides registration status of particular pesticides and should not be considered as pesticide recommendations by OSU Extension.

FIELD CROPS

Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies tolworthi Cry9C Protein and the Genetic Material Necessary for its Production in Corn -- EPA established a temporary tolerance exemption for feed use only; as well as in meat, poultry, milk, or eggs resulting from animals fed such feed. (Federal Register, April 10, 1998)

Clethodim -- Valent U.S.A. Corporation -- EPA established time-limited tolerances for clethodim and its metabolites in or on alfalfa, forage; alfalfa, hay; dry beans. (Federal Register, April 8, 1998)

Cobra (lactofen) -- Valent -- Label changes include the tank mix with Synchrony STS and with Reliance STS on soybeans to control broadleaf weeds. (Ag. Chem. News, March 15, 1998)

Imidacloprid -- Gustafson, Inc. -- EPA has established tolerances for residues of this insecticide in or on sorghum grain, forage, and stover. (Federal Register: March 25, 1998)

FRUIT & VEGETABLE
Bifenthrin -- This rule extends a time-limited tolerance for residues of this insecticide in or on cucurbits for an additional one-year period, to April 30, 1999. (Federal Register, April 1, 1998)

Clethodim -- Valent U.S.A. Corporation -- EPA established time-limited tolerances for clethodim and its metabolites in or on tomatoes; tomato, puree; tomato, paste. Tolerances will expire on April 30, 2001. (Federal Register, April 8, 1998)

Clomazone -- EPA has extended a tolerance for residues of this herbicide in or on watermelons for an additional 1-year period, to May 30, 1999. (Federal Register, March 18, 1998)

Cyprodinil -- Novartis Crop Protection, Inc -- EPA has established tolerances for residues of cyprodinil, in or on almond hulls, almond nutmeats, apple pomace, grapes, pome fruit, raisins and stone fruit. (Federal Register, April 10, 1998)

Imidacloprid -- EPA extended a time-limited tolerance for residues of this insecticide in or on cucurbits for an additional 1-year period, to March 31, 1999. (Federal Register: April 1, 1998)

Prometryn -- This regulation establishes a tolerance for residues of Prometryn in or on carrots to harmonize tolerances with Canada under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). (Federal Register, April 10, 1998)

Rimsulfuron -- E.I.duPont de Nemours and Company, Inc-- EPA has established a time limited tolerance in or on tomatoes. (Federal Register, April 6, 1998)

Tebufenozide -- EPA has extended time-limited tolerances for residues of the insecticide tebufenozide in or on non-brassica leafy vegetables, brassica (cole) leafy vegetables, and turnip tops for an additional 1-year period, to February 28, 1999. (Federal Register, March 18, 1998)

Tracer (spinosad) -- Dow AgroSciences-- Recently received registration on tobacco to control tobacco budworm, tobacco hornworm and loopers. (Ag. Chem. News, March 15, 1998)

Vitavax (carboxin) -- Uniroyal -- EPA has extended time limited residue tolerances on onion seed. (Ag. Chem. News, March 15, 1998)

TURF / ORNAMENTALS
Penncozeb (mancozeb) -- Elf Atochem-- Received supplemental labeling to use on Christmas trees and other conifers to control needle cast, pine gall rust and Scirrnia brown spot. (Ag. Chem. News, March 15, 1998)

Pentac (dienochlor) -- Novartis-- The company has canceled all the registered uses of this product and will no longer offer it for sale. It was used primarily as a miticide on greenhouse ornamentals. (Ag. Chem. News, March 15, 1998)

MISCELLANEOUS
Notice of Receipt of Requests to Voluntarily Cancel Certain Pesticide Registrations
Unless a request is withdrawn by September 14, 1998, orders will be issued canceling all of the following registrations.

Thiram 65
Dual Df Herbicide
Ridomil 2E Fungicide
Ethrel Plant Regulator
Aliette/Maneb 2+2 Fungicide
Dragnet FT Termiticide
Talstar 10WP Insecticide/Miticide
Firing Squad Liquid Residual
Vydate L Insecticide/ Nematicide
Du Pont "Vydate" L Insecticide/ Nematicide
Direx 4l, Diuron Flowable Herbicide
Hopkins Zinc Phosphide Pellets
Dimethogon 267 EC
Gowan Pacific
Cairox Potassium
Gowan Mepiquat
Gowan Diazinon 50 WSB
Dyfonate II 20-G, 10-G, 15-G Granular Insecticide
Dyfonate Tillam 1-4E InsecticideThiram 65
Dyfonate 2-G Granular Ornamental Turf Insecticide
Dyfonate 5-G, 4-EC
Dyfonate Technical
Gramoxene Extra
Force One Automatic Fogger
Clean Crop Bromacil Weed Killer
Clean Crop Curbit EC Herbicide
Tenax
Rampart 10-G Soil and Systemic Insecticide
Dimethoate 2.67 EC Clean Crop Methyl Parathion 4-E
Clean Crop Dimethoate 400
Dursban WB05 II
Recruit AG
Triflurex
Clean Crop Trifluralin 4EC

PESTICIDE DATA PROGRAM SUMMARY 1996
The Pesticide Data Program collected and analyzed 5,771 samples in 1996. (Fruit and vegetables, 4,856; milk, 575; and wheat, 340) Samples collected in the eight participating States originated from 35 States and 10 foreign countries.

About 72 percent of the fruit and vegetable samples, 18 percent of the milk, and 91 percent of the wheat samples tested had at least one pesticide residue. Post-harvest applications accounted for 20 percent of the residue detections. For fruit and vegetables, 67 different pesticide residues were detected, 4 were detected in milk and 16 were detected in wheat.

Four percent of all samples tested, 198 samples, were reported as presumptive tolerance violations. All were in fruit and vegetables, except for one wheat and one milk sample. Most of these were for residues where no tolerance was established. Residues of pesticides, when found on the tested foods, were generally below tolerance levels. This is to be expected because of the dissipation of residues between the farm and marketplace and the standard food preparation techniques applied prior to testing. Pesticide Data Program Internet address: http://www.ams.usda.gov/science/pdp/index.html (PDP Progress Report, USDA Ag Marketing Service, February 1998)

INTERNET SITES
November 1997 report by Natural Resources Defense Council on "Children at Risk" (see pesticide chapter):
www.nrdc.org/nrdcpro/ocar/ocarinx.html
(Don Baumgartner, USEPA, e-mail, April 1, 1998)

PSST...
Noting the complexity and importance of the proposal for organic standards, USDA has extended the comment period on the proposed organic regulations until April 30. Of the more than 8,000 comments received so far, many describe objections to permitting irradiation, genetic engineering and use of sewage sludge on organic crops. USDA says their goal is to develop a rule that the organic community and all the public can embrace. The Agency also made it clear that they are NOT proposing to allow the use of genetically engineered organisms, irradiation, or bio-solids, they are simply asking for comment on whether they should be included or not under the organic standards. Comments may be submitted or reviewed via the Internet (for the first time) at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop, or may be submitted in writing to Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, Room 4007-S, Ag Stop 0275, Box 96456, Washington, D.C. 20090-6456. (Chemically Speaking, March 1998)

Monsanto Co. has agreed to pay a $225,000 penalty for incorrectly labeled Roundup herbicide products. On 75 occasions Monsanto distributed incorrect labels for Roundup stating the restricted entry interval of only 4 hours. The correct REI is 12 hours. This is the largest settlement ever paid by a manufacturer for violating WPS. (P & T News, March 26, 1998)

Camille Roush-Kopczewski
Editor, Extension Associate
Pesticide Applicator Training
E-mail: roush-kopczewski.16@osu.edu

Joanne Kick-Raack
Coordinator
Pesticide Applicator Training
E-mail: kick-raack.1@osu.edu

Pesticide Applicator Training Office
Rm. 249 Howlett Hall
2001 Fyffe Ct.
Columbus, OH 43210-1096
Phone: (614)292-4070
Fax:(614)292-3505

 

Return to Archives