NAAA Recommends EPA Remove Daily Acreage Restrictions for Aerial Applications of Paraquat

Earlier this week, NAAA submitted comments to EPA recommending they remove the restrictions that prevent aerial applicators from treating more than 350 acres per day when they apply paraquat for herbicidal purposes. These restrictions were put in place with EPA’s 2021 interim decision (ID) on paraquat. The ID allowed only cotton and soybean desiccation applications to be conducted on unlimited acres daily. This restriction was due to a concern over aerial applicators inhaling paraquat while applying it.NAAA’s comments were in response to a court-ordered EPA public notice that reconsidered the 2021 ID. Soon after releasing the ID, EPA was sued by numerous anti-pesticide groups alleging that the ID failed to properly address the risk of Parkinson’s disease from paraquat. EPA’s reconsideration dismissed the claims, stating that there is no credible data to support that paraquat causes Parkinson’s disease.

The reconsideration concluded by requesting public comments relevant to the importance of paraquat and EPA’s required mitigations when using it. NAAA took that invitation to let EPA know how important paraquat is for applications as both an herbicide and a desiccant and that the 350 acres per day restriction for herbicide applications of paraquat can be catastrophic for growers battling resistant weeds, particularly in the South.

NAAA used EPA’s paraquat inhalation exposure data to suggest higher aerial application acreages based on the current paraquat application rate being used. These suggested higher acreages ensure applicator safety while also better meeting growers’ demands. NAAA also suggested that all crops should have unlimited daily acres for desiccation, not just cotton and soybeans. Click here to read NAAA’s full comments. NAAA will continue to follow EPA’s paraquat activities as lawsuits continue to threaten its registration.