Canadian canola growers will still have the pesticide tools they need even though they are losing some seed treatment products, such as lindane, that they’ve come to rely on.
The United States Food Quality Protection Act has set new standards for pesticides used in agriculture. And there are international agreements regarding persistent organic pollutants.
“Lindane is on that list and the commitment is to eliminate those products by 2000, so there is concern that we find suitable replacements as quickly as possible,” said Tony Zatylny, outgoing secretary-treasurer of the Canadian Canola Growers Association during an
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interview at the Saskatchewan branch’s annual meeting in January.
The CCGA last week announced it has a commitment from suppliers of crop protection products to develop new seed treatments by July 1, 2001.
Also, the Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will work with canola growers and registrants of pest control products to “facilitate access” to new seed treatments and to standardize Canadian and American pesticide regulations. This means more joint reviews and work sharing by the two agencies to allow new products to be introduced in both countries at the same time.
Share work, reduce time
The first product to go through such a joint review has recently been registered, but it is not for canola.
Distinct, a corn herbicide produced by BASF, was submitted to both agencies in 1997 and the review process for registration was split between the U.S. and Canada to speed the process.
Zatylny said the CCGA is working with the U.S. canola growers association to keep the pressure on in Washington to continue this type of co-operation.
This should also address American farmer complaints that they are at a disadvantage to Canadian growers who have more pest control products available to them.
While new pesticides are part of the response to the new international stand on farm chemicals, the CCGA is also encouraging farmers to get involved in integrated pest management. That is where pests are managed with crop rotations, management and new biological pesticides, as well as the standby chemical products.
“The heart of IPM is to look at all the tools you have available and use them in the appropriate fashion,” Zatylny said.
“Consumers are already fairly confident that they have safe food. By demonstrating that farmers go through an IPM thought process, we can further increase that confidence.”
