The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) commended the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) recent proposal to address corn rootworm (CRW) resistance and insect resistance management.
The organization also states their opposition to portions of the proposal, specifically the requirement of crop rotation and restrictions on soil-applied insecticides (SAI) over products that have been proposed by the Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (BPPD) of the EPA. NASDA also questions whether the BPPD has authority in this issue.
The NASDA recommends that the EPA and its stakeholders ensure that regulation or restrictions are agreed upon with sound scientific backing. It also states that national standards do not effectively address the diverse spectrum of crops that are grown in each region, nor do they address the issues different areas face.
"NASDA appreciates EPA’s goals to address CRW resistance issues through sound Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices, and NASDA encourages EPA to continue and enhance its collaboration with the Agricultural Biotechnology Stewardship Technical Committee (ABSTC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the agricultural community at large," NASDA CEO Barbara Glenn said.
Concerns were also brought up concerning potential proposals not falling within legal limits established by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). NASDA calls on the EPA to ensure proposals and measures are formed with FIFRA in mind.
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