March 2004

Pesticide Registrations and Actions

• On February 5, the EPA notified the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service (FDACS) that it had granted a specific exemption under Section 18 of FIFRA for use of pyriproxyfen (Knack®) on legume vegetables, except soybean. The registration number for the Valent product is 59639-95, and the exemption expires on 2/7/05. (EPA letter of 2/5/04).

• On February 25, the FDACS notified Bayer CropScience that the new product registration number for SLN FL-880003 (Temik® use in citrus) had been changed from 264-417 to 264-330. (FDACS letter of 2/25/04).

• The FDACS is proposing a modification that would amend the organo-auxin rule. Low volatility 2,4-D applications for compounds labeled in Florida for use as a growth regulator in small dosages substantially less than for herbicidal use would not be subject to the wind speed, droplet size, and application pressure regulations currently required. However, the record keeping requirement will still be in effect for these type applications. (Florida Administrative Weekly, 2/27/04).
   

• BASF will no longer sell Plateau® (imazapic) for use in pastures. The material will be sold under agreements with public land managers. The main reason cited for the move was conflicting sales with Cadre®. (Personal communication with G.E. MacDonald, UF/IFAS and J. Mitchell, BASF).
   

• Based on the agreement between the American Wood Preservative Association and the EPA, stakes and lattices may not be constructed out of chromated/copper/arsenic (CCA)-treated wood. (Personal communication with D. Dubberly, FDACS Bureau of Compliance Monitoring).

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• Bayer Environmental Sciences announced that effective immediately, the company has discontinued selling the Outpost® Termite Baiting system. The decision was made as part of a new strategy by the company to concentrate efforts on its flagship product Premise® (imidacloprid). (PCT Magazine, February 2004).

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• Included in the new highway safety bill recently passed by the Senate is language to exempt certain farmers from new hazardous materials transportation rules (CS, January 2004). Many agricultural groups voiced concern over the new homeland security requirements because of the burden they impose on local farmers who regularly transport large amounts of pesticides, fertilizers, and fuel but pose little risk and lack the resources to implement the measures. The exemption covers only farmers who have sales of less than $500,000. (Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, 2/16/04).
   

• The EPA has announced the carbamate cumulative assessment group. The Food Quality and Protection Act of 1996 calls for pesticide safety to be based on both aggregate (all routes such as drinking, eating, and dermal) and cumulative (all materials with a common mode of action) exposure. The agency believes a preliminary assessment for this group will be ready in spring 2005. This group will include only N-methyl carbamates, not thiocarbamates or dithiocarbamates. The common mechanism of toxicity is ability to inhibit acetylcholinesterase by carbamylation of the serine hydroxyl group located in the active site of the enzyme. The cumulative assessment group is expected to include aldicarb, carbaryl, carbofuran, formetanate, methiocarb, methomyl, oxamyl, pirimicarb, propoxur, and thiodicarb. (Federal Register, 2/4/04).

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