Chemically Speaking - September 2006

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Pesticide Regulations and Actions

Other Actions

• On September 11, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services authorized the distribution and experimental use of 50/50 iodomethane/chloropicrin (Midas® 50:50) for experimental pre-plant fumigation of fields intended for commercial production of listed crops (tomato, pepper, strawberry) and field-grown ornamentals.  The EPA’s EUP number is 66330-EUP-37, and it is authorized through the end of August, 2007.  (FDACS letter, 9/11/06). 
•  On August 9, the EPA released the reregistration eligibility document for the copper-containing pesticides.  Although there are no dietary concerns, wildlife and applicator concerns will require new language on copper pesticide labels restricting spray applications under certain weather conditions and describing other steps to reduce spray drift.  The EPA is also seeking comments from people who use the material for tree root control.  Anyone wishing to comment can contact the Pesticide Information Office.  (Chemical Regulation Reporter, 8/21/06).
•  In late August, the EPA concluded that if products containing phosphorous acid as an active ingredient are used in accordance with label directions, there is a reasonable certainty that no harm to the U.S. population will result from aggregate exposure to residues of phosphorous acid, when used as an agricultural fungicide or as a post-harvest treatment on potato.  Consequently, this acid, in its ammonium, sodium, or potassium forms, is exempt from the requirement of a tolerance.  (Federal Register, 8/23/06).
•  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is amending the foreign quarantine and user fee regulations by removing the exemptions from inspection for imported fruits and vegetables grown in Canada and the exemptions from user fees for commercial vessels, commercial trucks, commercial railroad cars, commercial aircraft, and international air passengers entering the United States from Canada.  As a result of this action, all agricultural products imported from Canada will be subject to inspection, and commercial conveyances, as well as airline passengers arriving on flights from Canada, will be subject to inspection and user fees.  The Service is taking this action in part because it is not recovering the costs of current inspection activities at the U.S./Canada border. In addition, data show an increasing number of interceptions on the U.S./Canada border of prohibited material that originated in regions other than Canada that present a high risk of introducing plant pests or animal diseases into the United States.  These findings, combined with additional Canadian airport preclearance data on interceptions of ineligible agricultural products approaching the U.S. border from Canada, strongly indicate the need to expand and strengthen pest exclusion and smuggling interdiction efforts at that border.  To recover the costs of this inspection activity, APHIS needs to collect user fees for inspection of commercial conveyances and international air passengers entering the United States from Canada.  (Federal Register, 8/25/06). 
•  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is amending the regulations governing the importation of fruits and vegetables in order to allow pink and red tomatoes grown in approved registered production sites in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama to be imported into the United States.  The conditions to which the importation of tomatoes will be subject, including trapping, pre-harvest inspection, and shipping procedures, are designed to prevent the introduction of quarantine pests into the United States.  This action will allow for the importation of pink and red tomatoes from those countries in Central America while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests into the United States.  The effective date is August 28, 2006.  (Federal Register, 8/28/06).