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In a report dated May 24, 2021, the EPA Office of Inspector General (OIG) determined that the Agency “deviated from typical procedures in its 2018 Dicamba pesticide registration decision.” The watchdog report found required internal peer reviews were not conducted for three dicamba pesticide products. “While division-level management review is part of the typical operating […]
The EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs announced a $2.5 million award to the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs (AFOP) over the next 5 years to “develop national pesticide safety training, education and outreach for farmworkers and their families in rural agricultural areas” in more than 25 states.
Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) and U.S. Representative Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) introduced the Protect America’s Children from Toxic Pesticides Act of 2020 (PACTPA) bill into Congress on August 4, 2020. The purpose of the bill, if passed, is to protect consumers, farmworkers, and children from harmful pesticides.
Summary judgment was granted to the Plaintiffs in National Association of Wheat Growers et. al. v. Becerra on June 22, 2020, by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. A permanent injunction was entered against enforcing the requirement of including a Proposition 65 (Prop 65) warning label on pesticides containing glyphosate. Prop […]
Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the EPA is required to conduct biological evaluations (BEs) of pesticides to determine their effects on endangered and threatened species (listed species) and their critical habitats. The Agency has now issued a nonregulatory method for conducting BEs.
Following discussions with agricultural establishments and State Lead Agencies (SLA), the EPA is proposing amendments to the Application Exclusion Zone (AEZ) requirements of the Agency’s Worker Protection Standard ((WPS), 40 CFR part 170). According to the Agency, the “modest” amendments will improve enforceability for SLAs and reduce regulatory burdens for farmers.
In a short letter, the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) informed registrants of pesticides that a statement on the label of a pesticide product warning that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans” is “false and misleading” and will be considered misbranding and in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Therefore, […]
The EPA is proposing to take a new approach to how it evaluates the impact pesticides have on endangered species. According to the Agency, its draft Revised Method for National Level Endangered Species Risk Assessment Process for Biological Evaluations of Pesticides is intended to correct overly conservative pilot biological evaluations (BEs) the EPA previously conducted […]
In a key action under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the EPA is proposing to approve reregistration of the herbicide glyphosate, the active ingredient in over 750 products, including Roundup®, the world’s most popular herbicide.
When deciding whether to manufacture a new agricultural chemical, companies need to determine if their product will be subject to registration under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Registration is a costly, technically demanding, and prolonged process that, in conjunction with the sales forecast, may result in the firm deciding not to manufacture […]