Hear Brownfield’s interview with Richard Gupton.
The U.S. agriculture industry is still digesting the details of the EPA’s recently released draft fungicide strategy.
Richard Gupton with the Ag Retailers Association tells Brownfield the strategy, which is 163 pages long, appears to align with EPA’s broader efforts on pesticide regulations related to the Endangered Species Act.
“There doesn’t seem to be a lot of requirements that seem out of line with what their strategies have been with herbicide strategy, insecticide strategies and rodenticides.”
Heather Kelly, a plant pathologist with University of Tennessee Extension who serves on a national Endangered Species Act collaboration team, says some areas of the country have more stringent requirements when using fungicides.
“There are differences in regional application use, as well as just difference in regional endangered species.”
She says it’s too soon to know how those regional differences will play out.
But Kelly says it is clear farmers and retailers will now need to use labels, along with digital, location specific decision tools, and training to determine where and how fungicides can be applied.
“It’ll be a learning curve to make sure you’re reading the label in its entirety and focusing in on the Bulletins Live! Two, the Pesticide Use Limitation Areas, and understanding the mitigation point menu.”
The EPA is hosting a webinar about the draft on May 20. Kelly says university extension services can be a great resource. Gupton says CropLife America, ARA and others have created training videos and tools to help navigate the new labeling systems.
In a statement, CropLife America tells Brownfield it has created tools to help people better understand ESA requirements, and it will keep working to improve how risk is assessed and how the process is carried out so it’s better for all involved.
The public comment period on the strategy is open through the end of June. Gupton and Kelly say changes are expected before the strategy is finalized by the end of the year.
