Canola Council of Canada advises against quinclorac use

The use of quinclorac on canola is being called into question by the Canola Council of Canada, which advises canola growers not to use the cleaver control product because of questions about residue limits.

Over 90 percent of the canola in Canada is exported to other countries, which means Canadian growers need to be aware of requirements of major export markets when it comes to rules such as residue limits.

China, which imports one-third of the canola produced in Canada, has no Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) for quinclorac on canola and has not accepted imports of canola when quinclorac residue is noticeable. This may be because the Chinese refer to the CODEX Alimentarius, the international standard-setting body of the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, when assessing whether imports meet their standards. The CODEX Alimentarius does not have an MRL for quinclorac.

It is essential that all members of the canola value chain realize their responsibility in meeting the requirements of export markets, including life sciences companies that sell crop inputs, growers who use these inputs, elevators and processors who buy farmers’ crops, and exporters and processors that must meet the legal and contractual requirements of importing customers.

The Canola Council of Canada reminds growers to only use registered pesticides that do not violate export market rules and to use the products only according to label directions.