EPA Makes Emergency Exempted and Special Local Needs Pesticide Products Available in Indian Country Nationwide

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EPA Pesticide Program Updates

From EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs
www.epa.gov/pesticides

EPA Makes Emergency Exempted and Special Local Needs Pesticide Products Available in Indian Country Nationwide

On Tuesday, May 21, 2013, Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe finalized a program to allow growers in Indian country nationwide to use certain registered pesticide products not currently available for use in Indian country to combat pests in emergency situations or when there is a special local need.

Under federal pesticide law, tribes and farmers in Indian country do not explicitly have access to the benefits of pesticide emergency exemptions or special local needs registrations (state-specific registrations). Pest control products permitted under these circumstances may be especially useful when growers in a particular region identify a pest problem that federally registered products do not currently alleviate. Lack of availability of these products denies access for growers and public health officials in Indian country to the same pest control tools that are available elsewhere in the United States.

Effective immediately, if all conditions of the program are met, growers in those areas of Indian country where the emergency exemption or special local need registration has been granted will have access to those pesticides approved under the program. Applicators should contact the local tribal authorities regarding tribal laws or regulations and comply with any applicable tribal restrictions.

This program marks the final step in the EPA’s efforts to make emergency exemption and special local need products available in relevant areas of Indian country. This decision is based on a successful three-year pilot program developed after long and careful consideration, in consultation with tribes, and with input from various stakeholders.

Learn more about the decision, including special conditions that apply on the Tribal Pesticide Program Council Web page under “Quick Resources” at: http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/tribes/tppc.htm

Oregon Seed Council Update-May 29, 2013

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I attended the Oregon Seed Council meeting last night with Bryan Muntz, and have prepared the following update. If you have any questions about the following, please do not hesitate to call: 503-858-4416.

Updates from the Commissions and the OSC committees were brief, and some had no report to offer at all. A bulk of the conversation revolved around slug control and different associations outside of the seed industry that may have an interest in battling slugs with us. Cattlemen were specifically mentioned as they see a substantial annual loss associated with slugs. This led to a conversation about an endowed professorship at OSU that would focus on entomology.

I updated the Oregon Seed Council on several items: I noted that the new OSA website had gone live; I noticed a few people jotting down the website URL and we did receive positive feedback from those who had already been to look at the new site. I noted that the OSA web link was not on the OSC website and that we would like to have that issue fixed as soon as possible. I noted that we are watching for unfriendly ballot measures being submitted to the Oregon Secretary of State’s office that seek to regulate the seed industry from the citizen level. The Summer Convention was brought up, as well as our effort to put together a summary that demonstrates the economic benefit of the seed industry to Oregon.

I have attached the OSU Update as it is always presented in hard copy.

Ron Pence with the Department of Ag was present. He noted that there is currently one slow pay no pay claim that looks like it is going to the license suspension stage. Pence noted that the seed contracting law that passed in 2011 did have a part to play in giving the Department the authority to fully investigate, work on mitigating the issue between the parties, and ultimately make the decision to seek license suspension. Pence also noted that the department is working on an administrative rule associated with Rathayibacter Toxicus. I have attached the ODA Update he provided on a quarantine proposal to deal with the issue, should it become a problem. There was also a brief conversation about the consistency of seed sampling, which validates the conversations that OSA has had internally about how to develop a more reliable and consistent system of sampling. Pence ended his update by noting that the Department is now working on sending out phyto certificates via email, a process that they have asked OSA to engage in as well.

Hope you are well.

Greg Miller
Executive Director
503-858-4416

Important update from ISDA

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Please see the attached materials about the wheat issue in Oregon. Director Gould will be on the phone this afternoon reaching out to you. Our office is monitoring this issue very closely, and we are cooperating with our partners on the state and federal side.

USDA news release GE wheat 5-28-13
BRS_QA_Biotech_and_USDA
FAQ_BRS_GE_Wheat_Detection

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Thank you,

Chanel Tewalt │Assistant to the Director
Idaho State Dept. of Agriculture
Office: 208.332.8503
Mobile: 208.830.7689
chanel.tewalt@agri.idaho.gov

 

State board of ag to meet

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The Oregon State Board of Agriculture will meet in Salem June 5-6.

On day one, the board will hold a round-table discussion with industry representatives on legislative developments. Also, the Oregon Farm Bureau will provide an overview of congressional efforts to reform U.S. immigration policy.

On day two, the board will hear from a panel on strategic efforts to implement Oregon’s agriculture water quality program. A second panel will present an update on the Food Safety Modernization Act.

A public comment period is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. June 5.

The meeting will be in the hearings room of the Oregon Department of Agriculture, 635 Capitol St. N.E.

It begins at 8:30 a.m. both days.

The meeting is open to the public.

Published 5/28/13 in the Capital Press.

Ergot warning issued in Eastern Oregon

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The Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center is warning grass seed growers to be alert for ergot.

The alert notes that ergot spore production is coinciding with flowering in perennial ryegrass in the Columbia Basin.

Spores typically are produced ahead of flowering.

“When they coincide, then we have big ergot years,” said Phil Hamm, director of the center and a plant pathologist.

“Chemical protection of flowers during anthesis will be important this year,” the alert states.

Ergot spores replace seeds in infected ryegrass and bluegrass plants, create a honeydew that attracts insects, adds to cleaning costs and can increase disease pressure in subsequent years.

Growers can obtain partial control through use of fungicides, Hamm said.

Hamm said the station is researching additional management techniques, including a method to delay spore production in ergot until after ryegrass fields flower.

Published 5/21/13 by Capital Press.

Summer Convention Early Bird Sign Up Ends May 24th

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We are just six weeks away from the OSA Summer Convention at Salishan, and we hope you can all attend. If you have not already registered, we encourage you to do so now. Early bird pricing ends May 24. Sign up now to avoid paying an additional 10% for registration fees. Convention registration forms and online registration are located at http://oregonseed2.pacwestweb.com/events/summer-convention/.

ROOMS
You will also want to call soon to reserve a room with Salishan. The block of rooms will be held only through May 26, and after that the unclaimed rooms will be released for general sale. Salishan will still honor the contracted rate for guests reserving a room after this date, but only if available. Call 1-800-452-2300, and make sure to mention Oregon Seed Association.

SPONSORS
If you are interested in contributing as a convention sponsor, or hosting an exhibit table, please contact us soon. Exhibit tables are filling up quickly and sponsors get priority.

GOLF
We still have some tee times available for golf on Saturday morning after the convention. Please contact John Cochran (john@turfmerchants.com) or Angie Blacker (blacker@pacwestcom.com) to sign up. Tee times start at 8:10 am, and the cost is $89 per person, which includes the cart. Please pay Salishan directly.

Please feel free to contact OSA at 503-685-7555 or blacker@pacwestcom.com if you have any questions. We’ll see all of you in June!