Are you looking for concise information about the Worker Protection Standard provisions? Not sure how it all applies to you or how to proceed if does? If so, consider accessing the University of Illinois Pesticide Safety Education website (www.aces.uiuc.edu/~pse; select "Other Resources"). At this site, you can read and print the following informational publications: (1) The WPS: A Quick Guide to the Rule (new trifold introductory brochure), (2) The Worker Protection Standard in Illinois (new 19-page summary of EPA's How to Comply Manual), and (3) The WPS Resource Guide for Illinois Agricultural Employers (recently revised). If you do not have Internet access, stop by your local University of Illinois Extension office and ask for a printed copy of these materials. (There may be a small printing fee.)

(Bruce E. Paulsrud)

In recent years, public needs and demands have begun to exceed the capabilities of the original pesticide applicator certification and training programs established 25 years ago, such that staff in the EPA and USDA National Program Offices felt a need to assess the current program operation to sustain its future vitality. The Certification and Training Assessment Group (CTAG) was established in 1996 to review previous national program evaluations, explore proposals identified by previous task forces, determine changing needs, and provide direction for the future of the national pesticide applicator certification and training program.

CTAG consists of representatives from EPA headquarters and EPA regional offices, USDA, Pesticide State Lead Agencies (SLAs), Cooperative Extension Service (CES), Tribes, the Armed Forces Pest Management Board (AFPMB), the Association of American Pesticide Control Officials (AAPCO), the Association of Structural Pest Control Regulatory Officials (ASPCRO), and the American Association of Pesticide Safety Educators (AAPSE). University of Illinois Extension is represented on CTAG by Phil Nixon. He may be contacted at (217)333-6650 to obtain additional information on the proposals.

CTAG is proposing changes to the national C&T program by way of changes to FIFRA, the regulations (40 CFR 171), EPA and USDA activities, or activities in conjunction with states, tribes, and territories. These proposals are subject to change or elimination as a result of stakeholder feedback. If further details of the proposals are desired, readers are encouraged to review the draft CTAG report that explains CTAG member deliberations. The report is available from EPA at (703)305-7666 or on the Internet at http://aapse.ext.vt.edu. Input from stakeholders will be added to the final report and will be presented at the National Pesticide Applicator Training Conference, August 7 to 11, 1999, in Portland, Maine. CTA requests that feedback on proposals be sent by April 2, 1999, to Jeanne Heying/EPA at 401 M Street, S.W. (7506C), Washington, D.C. 20460; fax (703)308-2962; or e-mail, heying.jeanne@epa.gov.

As this is a national set of proposals directed at the internal as well as external functioning of the Pesticide Applicator Certification and Training program, many of the proposals would not cause much change in the way the program is carried out in Illinois. Of the 40 proposals outlined in the CTAG report and executive summary, the following nine proposals are likely to cause the most change. (Please note that much of this article consists of excerpts from the executive summary.)

1. Initiate a National Consumer Education Initiative. Initiate a nationally organized pesticide education and safety training program targeted to consumers and/or homeowners that provides for safe and effective use of pesticides by this segment of users.

2. Consider tiered classification of pesticides. Consider some method of classifying pesticides in tiers based on the toxicity and assessed risk of the active ingredient, uses, and/or the amount of the product to be used. This would result in changing the requirements for pesticide education and safety training as well as certification and licensing requirements with the classification of the product. One ex-ample of a tiered classification is

(1) products for use by the consumer/homeowner;

(2) general or unclassified pesticide products for occupational use;

(3) restricted use pesticide (RUP) products based on current RUP criteria for occupational use;

(4) restricted "prescription" use products for occupational use.

The "prescription" use category would be reserved for specific risk-mitigation situations and could be one possible approach to preserving certain minor-crop uses of "high risk" pesticide products. By allowing only specified uses based on a particular training and certification level of the applicator, this approach would reduce the impacts of the Food Quality Protection Act and groundwater protection restrictions.

3. Establish prerequisites for certification such as a minimum age requirement, the ability to read and comprehend English, and related job experience.

4. Require a continuing education program. Require that all states, tribes, and territories establish a continuing education program as part of an applicator-recertification program. National standards could be set for continuing education credits, units, or hours. Also, periodic recertification exams could be required, either for all applicators or only in the case of a violation.

5. Facilitate the establishment of reciprocity agreements. Promote discussion of agreements, and establish a work group to focus on long-term program changes to facilitate them.

6. Change the federal funding formula for distributing C&T funds to SLAs. EPA should pursue changing the federal funding formula that determines how funds are distributed to SLAs. Although CTAG is interested in reviewing the entire formula with stakeholders, of particular concern is the proposal to replace the 5 percent factor (based on the number of farms served) with one that more adequately reflects program workload and best serves all programs. The factor could be based on the number of all applicators, including registered technicians, the number of commercial applicators, or other combinations. EPA awards about $3 million to SLAs each year.

7. Change the federal funding formula for distributing C&T funds to CES program offices. USDA should pursue changing the federal funding formula. Although CTAG is interested in reviewing the entire formula with stakeholders, of particular concern is replacing the 20 percent factor for farms with a factor based on the number of acres treated, agricultural acres, or pounds of active ingredient used. It has been suggested that the 20 percent factor for farms should be replaced with the total number of applicators. EPA passes about $2 million to USDA Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service (CSREES) via an interagency agreement to support applicator training by CES. USDA does not contribute any funds for the same purpose.

8. Assess a pesticide registration fee to help cover program costs. EPA should pursue establishing of a fee on pesticide registrations that would be used to cover part of the costs of the pesticide education, safety training, and applicator certification programs. The fee could be established on a tier system whereby restricted-use pesticide fees would be higher than fees for general or unrestricted pesticides.

9. USDA should provide funding to the CES program offices. USDA should expand its leadership role in coordinating administrative, technical, and support roles related to pesticide management. It should provide funding, at least equivalent to EPA, for pesticide education and training programs outside the scope of the Pesticide Applicator Training (PAT) program. Farmworker training, pesticide record-keeping programs, and health-care professionals would benefit from increased funding opportunities. Reducing pesticide misuse in urban and suburban settings should also be addressed. Competitive research grants should be initiated for personal protec-tive equipment (PPE) for applicators and farmworkers. Safer methods of handling and disposing of pesticides should be investigated.

The overall objective of CTAG's proposed program changes is to help EPA fulfill its mission of protecting human health and the environment, and adequately safeguard the public, especially children, from the risks resulting from pesticide application. On a day-to-day level, the intention is to ensure the quality and efficiency of pesticide education, safety training, and applicator certification programs, offering pesticide users at every level the information and training they need to make environmentally responsible decisions.

(Phil Nixon)

The U.S. EPA is seeking public input on how to reduce risks associated with aluminum phosphide and magnesium phosphide, two pesticide fumigants primarily used to control insects and rodents in facilities where agricultural food commodities are stored. EPA believes that protective measures, in addition to current restrictions, are needed to protect bystanders in residential and occupational settings, as well as pesticide applicators, from exposure to the phosphine gas that is created when these pesticides are used. Phosphine gas is highly toxic and known to pose hazards to human health, particularly at high concentrations for short periods of exposure.

In a 203-page document (http://www.epa.gov/REDs/0025red.pdf), the EPA lists a number of proposals to reduce the potential risk of inhalation toxicity to handlers and bystanders that may be posed by current uses of aluminum and magnesium phosphide. These proposals are summarized as follows:

o Applicators would be required to notify local authorities at least 24 hours in advance of the date, time, and location of planned fumigation activities.

o All fumigation activities would have to be conducted by a certified applicator or within 50 feet and in clear sight of a certified applicator.

o Aeration of fumigated railcars and other vehicles while in transit would be prohibited.

o Placarding fumigated structures, containers, and vehicles would be required.

o Registrants would be required to establish an incident-reporting program.

o All persons involved in fumigation/aeration activities would be required to wear respiratory protection during those operations, unless monitoring shows that phosphine concentrations are at or below the established standard of 0.03 ppm.

o A two-man operation would be required for any activity that involved entry into a fumigated structure.

o A 500-foot buffer zone and restricted area would be required around all fumigated structures to prevent exposure to residential bystanders. Placarding around the perimeter and monitoring prior to reentry also would be required.

o More thorough, stringent monitoring of fumigated commodities would be required.

o Prior to fumigation, structures would be required to undergo seal/leak testing. Leaks would have to be repaired prior to fumigation.

o Treatment of burrows for rodent control would be prohibited within 100 feet of a residence (instead of the current 15 feet). This would eliminate residential rodenticide uses of aluminum and magnesium phosphide, but would allow rodent control under other circumstances to continue. Exceptions could be made for public health reasons.

o The certified applicator would be required to notify all local residents and bystanders within 750 feet of the structure to be fumigated.

o Registrants would be required to work with EPA and the states to develop a fumigator-specific certification program.

o Additional monitoring would be required around fumigated structures to reduce occupational and residential bystander exposure. No fumigated structure could be reentered until phosphine concentrations declined to 0.03 ppm or less, unless appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) was worn.

o All applicable safety standards would be required to appear on product labels.

Although the first public comment period on these risk-mitigation proposals ended March 23, 1999, there are public meetings planned for Kansas City, Missouri; Sacramento, California; and possibly Atlanta, Georgia, in June and July 1999. These meetings provide an opportunity for farm groups, food distributors, and other interested parties to become involved in the decision-making process. For more information, contact Mark Hartman, chemical review manager for aluminum and magnesium phosphide, at EPA; (703)308-0734; e-mail, Hartman.Mark@epamail.epa.gov.

EPA is working with the USDA's Phosphine Task Force throughout the entire reregistration process to evaluate these proposals, and to explore other alternatives. The Phosphine Task Force is composed of experts from land-grant universities and USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists with expertise in commodity storage pest management systems. Several members of this task force are also members of the American Association of Pesticide Safety Educators (AAPSE); they have worked hard to ensure that EPA is informed of existing federal and state applicator training and certification standards.

(Bruce E. Paulsrud, adapted from U.S. EPA Press Release, http://www.epa.gov/REDs)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently supplied large grocery stores throughout the country with a brochure to educate consumers about pesticide levels in foods. Shoppers may not see the brochure on the shelves, however, because most stores have opted to offer the information only by request.

The brochure is an educational effort to assure consumers that EPA is actively monitoring pesticide use and that tougher standards have been mandated through the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996. By 2006, EPA must review all old pesticides to make sure their use on food meets the new standards.

Education can help dispel the myths that nobody knows the pesticide levels in foods, how dangerous these pesticides may be, and that the pesticide manufacturers, who are trying to make a profit, are the only system in place to monitor pesticide use.

The EPA brochure is somewhat con-troversial, in that environmental groups feel it doesn't offer enough human health-risk information. Agricultural industry groups are concerned that the brochure may be alarmist and even discourage con-sumers from purchasing fruits and veg-etables. Organic foods and practices are mentioned in the publication, stating that there are no national standards for organic farming practices. Organic farm-ing groups and EPA are now work-ing on standards to determine how long a field should be pesticide-free before it can be used to grow organic foods and which pesticides can be used on organic products.

The EPA, industry groups, environmental groups, and nutritionists all agree that the health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables far outweigh the risks of anything that might be in them.

Consumers who are interested in obtaining a copy of the EPA brochure should ask store personnel at one of the large food store chains. Additional infor-mation is also available by Internet at www.epa.gov/pesticides/food.

(Phil Nixon; and Lisa Sheppard, writer)

ACTARA (thiamethoxam) - Novartis - Registration in the United States is expected in 2000 to use on corn as a soil-applied insecticide to control various soilborne insects.

ACTION (fluthiacet-methyl) - Novartis - Registration is pending on cotton, corn, and soybeans. [herbicide]

AIM (carfentrazone-ethyl) - FMC - EPA has approved an application to register this new active ingredient to control broadleaf weeds in cereal crops and soybeans. (FR vol. 63, 11-20-98). Registration on soybeans and wheat is expected in the first half of 1999. It has been approved as a tank mix with most postemergence herbicides on corn.

APRON MAXX RTA (fludioxonil/mefenoxam) - Novartis - Received a 24(c) label in MS to use as a seed treatment on soybeans. 24(c) labels are pending in OH, IN, IL, IA, MN, NE, AR, LA, KS, MO, WI, NE, and ND. [fungicide]

CADRE 2AS (imazameth) - American Cyanamid - Being developed for use on soybeans and sugarcane. [herbicide]

DISTINCT (diflufenzopyr) - BASF - Registration for this postemergence herbicide on corn expected in March 1999.

EPIC (flufenacet /isoxaflutole) - Bayer/ Rhone-Poulenc - Received EPA registration to control grasses and broadleaf weeds in corn.

LEAD OFF (dimethenamid/atrazine) - A new corn herbicide available this year to control broadleaf weeds and grasses.

MAVERICK (sulfosulfuron) - Monsanto - Being developed to control grasses and broadleaf weeds in cereals.

MON-65500 - Monsanto - A new fungicide being developed to control take-all in cereals.

PURSUIT (imazethapyr) - American Cyanamid - Added to their label the application by air on alfalfa. [herbicide]

STARANE EC (fluroxypyr) - Dow AgroSciences - EPA has approved an application to register this new active ingredient to control broadleaf weeds and volunteer potatoes in small grains, on fallow cropland, and on non-cropland. (FR vol. 63, 11-20-98)

(Bruce Paulsrud, unless otherwise noted, adapted from Agricultural Chemical News, January and February, 1999)

ABOUND (azoxystrobin) - Zeneca - IR-4 is supporting research on grasses for seed, watercress, spinach, peppers, blueberries, and mint. [fungicide]

ACTARA (thiamethoxam) - Novartis - Registration is pending on pome fruits, potatoes, cole crops, leafy vegetables, cucurbits, fruiting vegetables, cotton, citrus, grapes, and wheat. [insecticide]

AT EZE (Pseudomonas chlorophis strain 63-28) - Agritun - EPA has received an application to register this new active ingredient to suppress root and stem rot pathogens on greenhouse grown crops. It is applied as a soil drench to greenhouse vegetables to control Rhizoctonia and Pythium diseases. (FR vol. 63, 11-25-98)

BIO CONTROL LTD. - EPA has received an application to register the new active ingredient Isomate-Baw as a pheromone for use in the control of beet armyworm in alfalfa, asparagus, beans, beets, cabbage, celery, cole crops, cotton, cucumbers, ground nuts, lettuce, onions, peas, peppers, soybeans, strawberries, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and tobacco. (FR vol. 63, 12-16-98)

CYGNUS (kresoxim-methyl) - BASF - Received EPA approval to use on greenhouse ornamentals to control powdery mildew.

DECLARE (methyl parathion) - Griffin - A new formulation that will be available this season for use on corn, soybeans, cotton, wheat, alfalfa, potatoes, and some vegetable crops. [insecticide]

DUAL (metolachlor) - Novartis - Added to their label the control of common waterhemp and tall waterhemp.

ENVOY (clethodim) - Valent - Received EPA registration to use on conifer trees and nonbearing food crops for grass control.

FLINT (trifloxystrobin) - Novartis - Being developed to control powdery mildew and leaf spots on cereals, grapes, apples, pears, cucurbits, and bananas. It is expected to be registered in the United States by 2000.

FLINT/CGA-279202 (trifloxystrobin) - Novartis - A new fungicide being developed on stone fruit, pome fruit, bananas, grapes, vegetables, field crops, and ornamentals, to control powdery mildew and leaf spots.

FLORAMITE (bifenazate) - Uniroyal - A new compound being developed to control mites on ornamentals, pome fruit, stone fruit, grapes, strawberries, hops, cotton, tea, and citrus. Registration is pending in 1999 to control mites on ornamentals.

FOLICUR (tebuconazole) - Bayer - Being developed for use on grapes, cereals, beans, nut crops, pome fruit, and pistachio. Grape and grass seed registrations are expected to be submitted by the end of the year. [fungicide]

FORTRESS (quinoxyfen) - Dow AgroSciences - Being developed for use on hops, cereals, grapes, vegetables, and stone fruit. [fungicide]

HARPIN - Eden Bio Science - EPA issued an experimental permit to control various bacterial, viral, and fungal diseases on 4,997 acres of alfalfa, apples, blueberries, citrus, conifer seedlings, corn, cotton, cranberries, cucurbits, small grains, grapes, ornamentals, peanuts, peppers, potatoes, raspberries, rice, soybeans, strawberries, sugarcane, tobacco, tomatoes, and turf. Authorized for use in AL, AZ, AR, CA, CT, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, MS, MT, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, and WA. Expires 10-31-2000. (FR vol. 63, 12-16-98)

KELTHANE (dicofol) - Rohm & Haas - The company has notified EPA it will cancel all residential uses from its labels and require mixer loaders to wear additional protective equipment. All WP formulations must be in water-soluble bags after 12-31-98. Application of the liquid formulation, by hand-held equipment, will be eliminated. Closed mixing systems will be required for liquid formulations on dry beans. All applications are limited to one per year. On citrus, applications will not exceed 8 lb. ai/acre/year, and on strawberries it will not exceed 2 lb. ai/acre/year. [miticide]

KNACK (pyriproxyfen) - Valent - Being developed for use on apples, pears, and walnuts. Also, on citrus, peppers, tomatoes, stone fruits, leafy vegetables, and ornamentals. [insecticide]

MELODY (iprovalicarb) - Bayer - A new fungicide being developed for use on grapes, vegetables, tobacco, citrus, and other crops. It controls downy mildew, late blight, and other diseases.

PRE STOP (Gliocladium catenulatum) - Kemira Agro - This bio-fungicide was formerly named Primastop. It is being developed to control Pythium and Rhi-zoctonia on vegetables and ornamentals.

RAFT (oxadiargyl) - Rhone-Poulenc - A broad spectrum herbicide being developed for use on rice, sugarcane, sunflowers, vegetables, and tree crops.

RANMAN/IKF-916 (cyamidazosulfamid) - ISK - A new fungicide being developed on potatoes and grapes to control downy mildew, late blight, and pythium. Also, on vegetables, rice, and turf. [fungicide]

REGENT (fipronil) - Rhone-Poulenc - Being developed for use on sweet potatoes, cotton, cole crops, citrus, alfalfa, peanuts, sugarbeets, and peppers. [insecticide]

RELAY 50 WG (pymetrozine) - Novartis - Being developed to control whiteflies and aphids in landscape ornamentals and non-bearing fruit, and nut tree nurseries.

ROVRAL (iprodione) - Rhone-Poulenc - The manufacturer has proposed to EPA to cancel all residential uses, and on strawberries to increase the pre-harvest interval from 0 days to "do not apply after first flower." On stone fruit to increase the 7-day pre-harvest interval up to "do not apply after petal fall." On table grapes to reduce the application rate from times per season to one application per season at early to mid-bloom. On turf and ornamentals, to limit the maximum number of applications to 6 per year (24 lb. ai/acre/year) and to cancel all uses on herbaceous ornamental seed. [fungicide]

SALICYLIC ACID - Stoller - EPA has received an application to register this new active ingredient for a variety of agricultural and horticultural applications to enhance plant defenses against certain pathogens. (FR vol. 63, 11-25-98)

SOVRAN (kresoxim-methyl) - BASF - Being developed for use on pome fruits, grapes, cucurbits, cereals, sugarbeets, and potatoes. [fungicide]

VISOR/MANDATE (thiazopyr) - Rohm & Haas - Being developed for use on fruit trees, caneberries, and alfalfa. IR-4 is doing research on cranberries and olives. [herbicide]

(Bruce Paulsrud, unless otherwise noted, adapted from Agricultural Chemical News, January and February, 1999)

AGVENTURES - This is the name of a joint venture of Terra Industries and Albaugh Inc. They plan to produce and distribute pesticide products throughout the United States.

AMERICAN CYANAMID - The company has signed a research agreement with AgriPro Seeds and United Grain Growers of Canada to develop wheat varieties that tolerate Imidazolinone herbicides.

AVENTIS CROP SCIENCE - This is the company to which Hoechst AG and Rhone-Poulenc contribute all assets of their agrochemical businesses. Schering AG will retain a holding in the new company. Aventis will have sales of about $4.5 billion and employ 15,000 people. The headquarters will be in Lyon, France.

BTI - (Bt subspecies ismelensis strain EG 2215) - Ecogen - EPA announced approval to conditionally register this new active ingredient to be formulated into various mosquito control products. (FR vol. 63, 11-25-98)

MONSANTO - The company has made an agreement with the Australian Co., For Bio, to have access to Monsanto's technology to develop glyphosate and Bt-resistant forest trees.

MONSANTO - Up to 27 million acres of Roundup Ready soybeans were planted in the United States last year. This is 37% of the total crop.

MONSANTO - The company announced it has a licensing agreement with Nufarm Ltd. to allow Nufarm to register its brand of glyphosate herbicide to be used over Roundup Ready crops. Nufarm's brand name for its glyphosate is Credit.

MONSANTO - The company has reached a long-term agreement with Micro Flo to supply glyphosate herbicide. It allows Micro Flo to register its own brand of glyphosate products, which can be used on Roundup Ready crops. This arrangement also applies to Micro Flo's parent company BASF.

MONSANTO - The company announced a toll manufacturing agreement with Dow AgroSciences for the rights to glyphosate registration data on a worldwide basis except for Japan. Dow will be able to register its own brand of glypho-sate, and it can be used on Roundup Ready crops. Lawn and garden uses were not included.

NEW LEAF PLUS - A new genetically engineered potato, developed by Monsanto, that contains the Bt gene and also resists the potato leafroll

RHONE-RHONE-POULENC - The company announced it has given exclusive lawn and garden marketing rights of its fipronil insecticides to Garden Tech. This agreement does not include the bait formulations. Garden Tech already has marketing rights of Sevin (carbaryl) for the homeowner market.

SCOTTS - The company has entered into a biotech collaboration with Monsanto to share technologies for producing improved transgenic turfgrasses and ornamental plants for the professional and consumer markets. They will focus on turfgrasses that require less mowing and watering, flowers that last longer and have bigger blooms, and the development of Roundup Ready turfgrass and ornamentals such as roses and bedding plants.

SCOTTS - The company announced an agreement with Rutgers University for exclusive worldwide rights to Rutger's transgenic varieties of bentgrass. Monsanto will become a partner in this agreement.

SCOTTS - The company has completed the acquisition of the Ortho lawn and garden product line from Monsanto for about $300 million. This includes the entire Ortho product line worldwide, with the exception of the glyphosate--based products.

TOP PRO SPECIALTIES - This is the name of a new company, founded by BASF and Micro Flo, to market the professional and specialty products of both companies. Products involved will be Drive, Chlorpyrifos, Acephate, Sanmite, Cygnus, Prompt, Basagran T/0, Vantage, Curalan, and Basamid.

(Bruce Paulsrud, unless otherwise noted, adapted from Agricultural Chemical News, January and February, 1999)

CAMELOT (copper salts of fatty & rosin acids) - Griffin - A new formulation developed for use on ornamentals. [fungicide]

CASCADE (fonophos) - Zeneca - This turf insecticide has been voluntarily withdrawn from the market due to the high cost of re-registration. [insecticide]

CHIPCO 26019 (iprodione) - Rhone-Poulenc - The company has agreed to delete, from their label, all residential uses for this product. [fungicide]

DECREE 50 WDG (fenhexamid) - SePro - A new fungicide being developed for use on ornamentals to control botrytis.

HERITAGE (azoxystrobin) - Zeneca - Received EPA approval to use for disease control on lawn care and on sports turf. Previously it was only registered on golf courses and sod farms.

ICON (buprofezin) - AgrEvo - Registration is pending in 1999 for use on ornamentals. It will be marketed by the Scotts Co. [insecticide]

JUNCTION (mancozeb/copper hydroxide) - Griffin - A new formulation developed for use on ornamentals and turf. [fungicide]

OFTANOL (isofenphos) - Bayer - Due to the high cost of re-registration, the company has voluntarily proposed to cancel the registration for this turf product. This will be effective on the 2E registration on 9-30-99 and the technical registration on 12-31-99. [insecticide]

PYLON (chlorfenpyr) - American Cyanamid/Olympic - Registration is pending for use on ornamentals to control mites and thrips.

TRIUMPH (isazophos) - Novartis - This turf insecticide has been voluntarily withdrawn from the market due to the high cost of re-registration.

TUPERSAN (siduron) - PBI Gordon - Additions to the label include bermuda-grass suppression in bentgrass golf greens and use on roadside slopes and other areas applied via hydro-seeding.

(Bruce Paulsrud, unless otherwise noted, adapted from Agricultural Chemical News, January and February, 1999)

ACROBAT (dimethomorph) - American Cyanamid - Additional registration pending to include tomatoes, grapes, lettuce, and cucurbits. [fungicide]

ACROBAT MZ (dimethomorph/mancozeb) - American Cyanamid - EPA has approved an application to register this new active ingredient for use on potatoes to control late blight. (FR vol. 63, 12-16-98)

ACTARA (thiamethoxam) - Novartis - Registration is expected in 2000 for use on cotton, cole crops, pome fruits, potatoes, tobacco, cucurbits, and other vegetable crops to control aphids, Colorado potato beetle, flea beetles, leaf hoppers, leafminers, plant bugs, thrips, whiteflies, and other insects.

ACTIGARD (acebenzolar-s-methyl) - Novartis - This is a plant activator that controls several plant diseases by activating the plant's natural defense mechanism. Registration by EPA for this disease resistance activator is expected by the end of 1999. Initially it will be registered on lettuce, tomatoes, and tobacco to control downy mildew, bacterial speck, and spot and blue mold. It is also being developed for use on cole crops and cucurbits and on apples to protect against fire blight.

ADMIRE (imidacloprid) - Bayer - IR-4 is doing research on root vegetables, legumes, cucurbits, peaches, and blueberries. [insecticide]

AGRIMEK (abamectin) - Novartis - Registration is pending on nonbrassica and brassica leafy vegetables. [insecticide]

ALERT (chlorfenapyr) - American Cyanamid - Registration is pending on citrus, lettuce, cole crops, tomatoes, potatoes, celery and spinach. IR-4 research is being conducted on strawberries, onions, mustard greens, caneberries, and hops. [insecticide]

ALIETTE (fosetyl-al) - Rhone-Poulenc - Registration is pending for use on bananas, grapes, and macadamia. [fungicide]

APPLAUD (buprofezin) - AgrEvo - Registration is pending for use on citrus, cotton, lettuce, cucurbits, grapes, almonds, and tomatoes. [insecticide]

AUTHORITY (sulfentrazone) - FMC - Being developed by IR-4 for use on horse radish and cabbage. [herbicide]

BAYTHROID (cyfluthrin) - Bayer - May now be applied by air for use on carrots, peppers, radishes, and tomatoes. [insecticide]

CAPTURE (bifenthrin) - FMC - Registration is pending on beans, peas, caneberries, lettuce, cole crops, canola, cucurbits, and celery. [insecticide]

CONFIRM (tebufenozide) - Rohm & Haas - Registration is pending on pome fruit, cotton, fruiting and leafy vegetables, cole crops and sugarcane. IR-4 is supporting use on turnips, blueberries, caneberries, cranberries, canola, and mint. Also it is being developed for use on citrus, nut crops, pistachio, and sweet potatoes. [insecticide]

CURZATE (cymoxanil) - DuPont - Being developed for use on hops and tomatoes. [fungicide]

EXPRESS (tribenuron-methyl) - DuPont - Research is being done to develop for use on blueberries. [herbicide]

FRONTIER (dimethenamid) - BASF - Being looked at in research by IR-4 on dry bulb onions and garden beets. [herbicide]

FULFILL (pymetrozine) - Novartis - A new insecticide with registration expected in the next two years on cotton, cole crops, cucurbits, vegetables, potatoes, and tobacco to control aphids.

MILESTONE (azafenidin) - DuPont - EPA registration is expected in 2000 on citrus, grapes, and sugarcane. [herbicide]

PERMIT (halosulfuron) - Monsanto - Registration is pending on cotton, rice, nut crops, sugarcane, sweetcorn, and pistachio. IR-4 is doing research on cucurbits. [herbicide]

PROCLAIM (emamectin-benzoate) - Novartis - Being developed for use on brassica crops, lettuce, celery, fruiting vegetables, and leafy vegetables. [insecticide]

STEWARD (indoxacarb) - DuPont - Being developed to control lepidopteran species on cotton, tomatoes, peppers, cole crops, lettuce, corn, apples, and pears. [insecticide]

SWITCH (cyprodinil/fludioxonil) - Novartis - A combination fungicide being developed for use on strawberries and root vegetables.

TATTOO (propamocarb) - AgrEvo - Being developed for use on citrus, carrots, sugarbeets, onions, spinach, and celery. [fungicide]

TOPS MZ (thiophanate-methyl/mancozeb) - Gustafson - Added to their label, for this potato seed piece treatment, the suppression of late blight.

(Bruce Paulsrud, unless otherwise noted, adapted from Agricultural Chemical News, January and February, 1999)

AFFRONT (chlorpyrifos) - Wellmark - A new formulation, for this company, to be used to control various insects in institutional situations.

ARCHER (pyriproxyfen) - Zeneca - A new formulation to control various insects in schools, homes, and warehouses.

LINDANE - Due to the high cost of re-registration, the pet-care uses and wood treatment uses will be deleted from the label. Unless withdrawn, this will be effective 6-1-99. (FR vol. 63,12-2-98) [insecticide]

MARLATE (methoxychlor) - Kincaid - Due to the high cost of re-registration, they will delete livestock dipping uses from the label. Unless withdrawn, this will be effective 6-1-99. (FR vol. 63, 12-2-98) [insecticide]

(Bruce Paulsrud, unless otherwise noted, adapted from Agricultural Chemical News, January and February, 1999)