- The EPA has notified the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) that it has granted a specific exemption under Section 18 of FIFRA for use of ApiLife VAR containing thymol, eucalyptus oil, and L-menthol in beehives to control Varroa mites. Use of the unregistered product expires on 3/15/07. (FDACS letter of 6/1/06).
- The EPA has notified the FDACS that it has granted a quarantine exemption under Section 18 of FIFRA for use of myclobutanil (Nova®/Rally®) on legume vegetables (crop groups 6 and 7, excluding soybean). The EPA Reg. No. are either 62719-410 or 62719-411 and use of the products expires on 5/31/09. (EPA letter of 5/31/06).
- The Special Local Need (SLN) registrations for Gramoxone Inteon® (paraquat) permitted earlier this year have been cancelled. The uses (peanut, cabbage, lettuce, melon, and strawberry) are now contained on the federal (section 3) label. (FDACS letter of 5/25/06).
- Based on a request by IR-4, tolerances are approved for use of the fungicide azoxystrobin (Amistar®). Tolerances of importance to Florida include fresh and dried herbs (subgroup 19A). (Federal Register, 5/3/06).
- Based on a request by Dupont and IR-4, tolerance was approved for the herbicide terbacil (Sinbar®) on watermelon. (Federal Register, 5/31/06).
- Based on a request by Valent U.S.A. Corporation, tolerance was approved for the herbicide flumioxazin (Valor®) on strawberry. (Federal Register, 5/3/06).
- The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has amended the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation, under certain conditions, of peppers from Korea. The peppers will have to be grown in approved insect-proof, pest-free greenhouses and packed in pest-exclusionary packinghouses. (Federal Register, 5/22/06).
- The EPA approved Chemtura Corp.’s Rimon® 0.83 EC insecticide (novaluron) for head and stem brassica crops. Target pests are leaf feeding beetles and lepidopteran larvae, but it also has suppression on whitefly, thrips, stink bugs, and weevils. (The Grower, June 2006).
- The APHIS has issued an Environmental Assessment that found no significant impact to a field trial of genetically engineered bahiagrass. The grass is resistant to the herbicide glufosinate. (Federal Register, 5/23/06).
- The EPA and the registrants of azinphos (Guthion®) have agreed to phase out this insecticide over the next four years. Uses phased out in 2010 important to Florida include blueberry and parsley. (Federal Register, 6/9/06).
- On May 17, the EPA released its health effects risk assessment for aldicarb (Temik®) and related documents for a 60-day public comment period. The Agency has concerns regarding the residues of aldicarb in food and water. Of particular concern was potato, where sampling has found residues as much as twice the 0.2 PPM allowable level, although it is only detected in approximately six percent of the potato samples. There are also perceived handler/loader issues as well as environmental risks. Public comments on the risk assessment must be received by the EPA Public Docket by July 17, 2006 as part of its Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) for the pesticide. All the EPA risk assessment documents may be reviewed in the EPA docket under Docket Identification Number "EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0163" at http://www.regulations.gov. Information can also be submitted by the UF/IFAS Pesticide Information Office. (Federal Register, 5/17/06 & Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, 5/22/06).
- On April 25, the FDACS registered Syngenta’s lufenuron growth regulator termiticide (EPA Reg. No. 100-1174) for control of termites in and around structures with integrated management system support. (PREC Agenda, 6/1/06).
- The EPA and the registrants of azinphos (Guthion®) have agreed to phase out this insecticide over the next four years. Uses phased out in 2007 important to Florida include nursery stock. (Federal Register, 6/9/06).
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