The herbicide Paraquat has new label and application requirements that may become costly to growers and operators, the American Soybean Association told the Environmental Protection Agency in early May.
Soybean farmers across America use Paraquat for resistance management and as a soil-saving tool on both no-till and conservation tillage systems that are susceptible to weeds that are resistant to glyphosate, triazines, sulfonylureas, imidazolinones, diphenyl ethers and other herbicide products.
“ASA supports the Agency’s focus on stewardship and training and additional label language on toxicity,” the organization said in a news release. “We do have concerns about two of the new label requirements: the closed system requirement and the restriction to be sprayed by certified applicators only, both proposed for implementation in 2018. Most farmers have little to no experience with using closed systems, and will be required to purchase new equipment. Education and outreach will need to take place in order for farmers to follow this new requirement and in all likelihood it will not significantly change the inherent risk to growers making applications.”
The ASA worries the requirement of the paraquat certified applicators will be costly to growers and not allow all growers to use paraquat as they have in the past.
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