Many agricultural producers in Texas hold pesticide applicator licenses which allow them to purchase herbicides, insecticides, and other pesticides necessary for food and fiber production.
Although most pesticides sold in the United States do not require a license to purchase, farmers and ranchers frequently need to apply federally restricted or state-limited pesticides to control insects, diseases, and weeds. Texas law requires license holders to obtain continuing education units (CEUs) in order to remain in good standing with the state.
Dr. Mark Matocha鈥檚 presentation during the South Texas Farm and Ranch Show will provide one such CEU and will update producers on changes to federal and state laws that may affect pesticide applicators, including EPA proposed changes related to the Endangered Species Act and pollinator protection.
Recently, the EPA made changes to the availability of some pesticides. For example, on Aug. 2, EPA Administrator Michael Regan issued an emergency order of suspension for all registrations of the herbicide DCPA, or Dacthal, under FIFRA Section 6, which took effect upon issuance. Dacthal is a herbicide used in agricultural crops and in non-agricultural settings. This means no person in any state may distribute, sell, ship or carry out other similar activities for any pesticide containing DCPA.
The only exception is for returning existing stock to the registrant, AMVAC. It also means that no person can continue using existing stocks of those products. EPA has taken this emergency action to address the imminent hazard to unborn babies whose pregnant mothers are exposed to DCPA.
EPA is concerned that unborn babies whose pregnant mothers are exposed to DCPA could experience changes to fetal thyroid hormone levels, and these changes are generally linked to low birth weight, impaired brain development, decreased IQ, and impaired motor skills later in life.
EPA intends to issue a notice of intent to cancel the DCPA products within 90 days of the emergency order issuance date.
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