Pyrethroid Letters to EPA Pt 2

Pyrethroid Letters to EPA Pt 2

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
With today's Fruit Grower Report, I'm Bob Larson.

Washington farmers use pyrethroids to fight harmful insects. But thanks to a simplistic model used by the EPA, growers are being asked to join a letter-writing campaign to clear up any confusion on how the products are used.

Heather Hansen, with Washington Friends of Farms and Forests, says the letters need to be in ahead of the EPA's review of all pyrethroid registrations ...

HEATHER HANSEN ... "This is a process to decide how the label might be changed for the future. So, for now they keep using the product the way they have been, but what we're trying to prevent is new restrictions that would limit the way they can use these products in the future."

Hansen says there's no single answer ...

HEATHER HANSEN ... "These products are used on a wide variety of crops that we grow in Washington. They're extremely important for blueberries and raspberries, but also for cherries and other tree fruit, for asparagus, for grapes including wine grapes, and then corn, potatoes, very important for potatoes and onions, and other types of vegetables, and even alfalfa seeds. So, a broad range of uses."

And, Hansen says pyrethroids present no marketing problems ...

HEATHER HANSEN ... "So, especially for products that are exported, as many of our berries, cherries and other fruits and vegetables are exported, pyrethroids are accepted internationally. So, lots of different reasons to defend pyrethroids."

The deadline for letters is Friday, March 31st. Contact your commodity group for more information.

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