The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the comment period for the potential cancellation of organophosphate pesticides until Sept. 25, according to the University of Georgia (UGA) Extension Vegetable Blog.
Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension vegetable entomologist, said that if organophosphates are important to your production program, growers should submit their comments to the EPA.
“If organophosphates are important to your production program, please submit your comments to the EPA. When submitting comments be specific. Don’t just say they are critical,” Sparks said in the blog. “Say why they are critical. Tell them why you use them, how you use them, when you use them, rates used, and alternatives or lack thereof.”
The EPA has been petitioned to revoke all tolerances and cancel all associated registrations for food uses of multiple organophosphate pesticides (OPs). This would include acephate (orthene), diazinon, malathion, naled (dibrom) and others. It would eliminate the last broad spectrum soil insecticide in vegetables in diazinon.
“It would impact diverse areas of pest management including choices for control of multiple insect pests, management of tomato spotted wilt in peanuts and defoliation in cotton,” Sparks said.
To submit comments, go to Regulations.gov. In the search bar type “organophosphates” and hit the search button. When the search opens, click the box on the left that says, “Only show documents open for comment.” That will lead you to the “Petition To Revoke Tolerances and Cancel Registrations for Certain Organophosphate Uses.” Click the “Comment” button and it will open to the comment page. You can type your comments directly or submit them as an attached file.
This petition is based on the approach that since chlorpyrifos was deemed worthy of cancellation and all OPs have the same mode of action, then all OPs should be cancelled. The carbamates (Lannate, Vydate, etc.) also share this mode of action. If this approach works against the Ops, it will be used for the carbamates next.
Source: University of Georgia (UGA) Extension Vegetable Blog