Pyrethroid Letters to EPA Pt 1

Pyrethroid Letters to EPA Pt 1

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
With today's Fruit Grower Report, I'm Bob Larson. Growers around the state are being encouraged to write an important letter to the EPA before the end of the month as the agency begins reviewing all pyrethroid registrations...

HEATHER HANSEN ... "Pyrethroids are a class of insecticides. And what they did was use a very simplistic model rather than looking at how pyrethroids are actually used on a specific crop. They just ran sort of very generic model that made it look as though pyrethroids could be very harmful to the environment, but they used rates and application methods that aren't realist, that aren't really used that way."

Heather Hansen, with Washington Friends of Farms & Forests, says this misperception is why the EPA needs to hear from as many pyrethroid users as possible ...

HEATHER HANSEN ... "So, what we need is for growers to send letters to EPA and explain how they actually use the product in the real-world. That in the real-world, they're not using the maximum label rate. They're not applying as often as they legally would be allowed to. So, we need EPA to understand the reality of how the products are actually used."

Is there a deadline for these letters?

HEATHER HANSEN ... "Yes. March 31st is the deadline."

Hansen says contact your commodity group for questions about the letters.

Listen Monday for more on this push to clear up any confusion on how pyrethroids are used on fruits and vegetables across Washington state.

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