NAAA Comments to Protect Aerial Applications of Chlorpyrifos and Retain More Crops on Label

Earlier this week NAAA submitted comments to EPA regarding their proposed tolerance revocation for chlorpyrifos. As reported in January, EPA proposed to revoke all tolerances of chlorpyrifos except for the following crops: alfalfa, apple, asparagus, cherry (tart), citrus, cotton, peach, soybean, strawberry, sugar beets and wheat. The revocation process is the latest in a long series of events dealing with the registration review of chlorpyrifos. It comes as a response to a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit that overturned EPA’s earlier ban on chlorpyrifos.

NAAA’s comments focused on making sure EPA understands the important role aerial application plays in making timely applications of chlorpyrifos, and how this can be critical during a rapidly expanding pest outbreak. NAAA also asked EPA to reconsider the ban on tolerances. When the tolerance is banned for a pesticide, that means it can never be applied to any crop for which there is no tolerance. NAAA suggested that instead, EPA keep the tolerances for more crops, including corn and sunflowers, but use the labels to restrict usage. This would allow for the use of emergency labels should the need arise, such as controlling pests resistant to other types of insecticides. To read NAAA’s full comments, click here.