• Learn to Manage Pests Naturally
  • SNAP Tour of Organic Vegetable Garden
  • Weeds Can Be Managed Without Chemical Pesticides
  • Driving Near Recently Sprayed Fields Exposes People to Pesticides
  • Grow a Lush Garden Organically
  • LIving Near Fields Increases Pesticide Exposure
  • Learn About Colony Collapse Disorder and How to Protect Bees
  • Learn to Keep Insects Out of your Crops
  • Learn To Manage Weeds Without Chemical Pesticides
  • Learn About Pesticides in Foods

Latest News...

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

US court bans three weedkillers and finds EPA broke law in approval process

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US court bans three weedkillers and finds EPA broke law in approval process   Ruling, specific to three dicamba-based weedkillers, is major blow to Bayer, BASF and Syngenta (The Guardian, 7 february 2024)

'The ruling is specific to three dicamba-based weedkillers ... which have been blamed for millions of acres of crop damage and harm to endangered species and natural areas across the midwest and south.

This is the second time a federal court has banned these weedkillers since they were introduced for the 2017 growing season. In 2020, the ninth circuit court of appeals issued its own ban, but months later the Trump administration reapproved the weedkilling products, just one week before the presidential election at a press conference in the swing state of Georgia.

Bury wrote that the EPA did not allow many people who are deeply affected by the weedkiller – including specialty farmers, conservation groups and more – to comment.

The EPA first approved Monsanto and BASF versions of dicamba touted to be less likely to move off target for the 2017 growing season. Since then, dicamba has caused millions of acres of crop damage, and has been the subject of several lawsuits.

In February 2020, a federal jury in Missouri awarded the state’s largest peach farmer $265m for damage to his farm, though that total was later reduced by a federal judge. In June 2020, Bayer announced a $400m settlement with soybean growers that had been damaged by non-target drift.

For years, Bayer and BASF have blamed other factors than their weedkillers, including illegal use of older chemicals, for the damage. Discovery documents turned up in the litigation showed the companies knew that their dicamba weedkillers would probably lead to off-target crop damage.'

SNAP Comment: There was no public notice and comment as required by law. Note that even when there is, and opponents present their evidence and independent studies, this evidence is usually discounted in favour of industry studies. Cost-benefit evaluations tend to inflate benefits and discount costs.

filed under Legal/Litigation/Dicamba p.2

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Webinar: When Pesticide Drift Happens To You

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Webinar: When Pesticide Drift Happens To You (PANNA, 28 August 2023)

 While the webinar had an Iowa focus, much of the content is applicable throughout the United States.

This three and a half hour webinar can be viewed here in its entirety.

filed under pesticide drift/incidents and emergencies

Saturday, January 27, 2024

New herbicide for weed control in wheat registered

Batalium, fluorine based herbicide

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New herbicide for weed control in wheat registered

(By Farmtario Staff

'The company said in a release Batalium combats weed-related losses across all soil zones. Its forumulation features four powerful active ingredients from three modes of action, providing an easy-to-use tool for optimal results.'  

The following is provided by Meg Sears:

Batalium is a newly approved herbicide (tech sheet here), that is a mixture of three old herbicidesFlucarbazone-sodium – Group 2, Fluroxypyr – Group 4, and Bromoxynil – Group 6.

Batalium is "Compatible with over 23 registered tank-mix partners, BATALIUM AMPED herbicide lets you customize your weed management program based on weed pressure and application conditions."

Acutely toxic, Health hazard, and Environmental hazard, Irritant

These three herbicides include the -C-F3 group that will break off and affect the ozone layer, as well as halogenated ring structures that typify endocrine disruptors.

filed under Polyfluorinated pesticides and PFAs

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Sustainable Agriculture Strategy – Ambitious success, from the Guelph Organic Conference

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For arguments on real sustainable agriculture see 

Sustainable Agriculture Strategy – Ambitious success, from the Guelph Organic Conference   (Prevent Cancer Now, 17 March, 2023)

filed under Organics/farming

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

A brand new “Frankenstein” herbicide – Tiafenacil

Tiafenacil is a new fluorine-containing herbicide, that inhibits a key enzyme to make chlorophyll.

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A brand new “Frankenstein” herbicide – Tiafenacil

(Prevent Cancer Now) scroll down the page.

Tiafenacil is a new herbicide, that inhibits a key enzyme to make chlorophyll.

Tiafenacil features several biologically-active, toxic groups, that are combined in a large molecule—a bit like a “Frankenstein” chemical.

This degrades into smaller molecules of toxic chemicals. For example, the top group with three fluorine atoms separates to form highly persistent trifluoroacetic acid. The PMRA found that young children would exceed the maximum allowable daily intake, then stated that is deemed to be acceptable because the assessment is “conservative.” This is hard to understand, given that the extrapolation (a.k.a. “safety”) factor for sensitive populations was eliminated, and there is no human data on this brand new pesticide.

SNAP Comment: As of 23 January 2024, 4 tiafenacil herbicides are registered by the PMRA for use in a variety of crops.

filed under Polyfluorinated pesticides and PFAs

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

P.E.I. potato growers have new pesticide to fight wireworm

Broflanilide, containing several trifluoromethyl groups that will likely contribute to ozone depletion

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P.E.I. potato growers have new pesticide to fight wireworm (Broflanilide)
Potato board estimates cost of wireworm damage to crops at $5 million a year  (Nancy Russell ,CBC, Posted: Mar 04, 2021)   Chemical Formula: C25H14BrF11N2O2.  Chemical name: 3-(benzoylmethylamino)-N-2-bromo-4-1,2,2,2-tetrafluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethyl-6-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl-2-fluorobenzamide.   This product contains several trifluoromethyl groups that will likely contribute to ozone depletion.  

SNAP COMMENT: perhaps it is different in large scale plantings, but in my organic garden, the only potatoes that ever get wireworm damage are the ones planted near the outside grass. When I edge in spring, I used to throw the grass rhizomes on top of the soil to dry up, until I found sereval wireworms seemingly living in there so now rhizomes are thrown on the grass and I have very little problems. Also PEI has an imported wireworm that may behave differently. 

filed under Polyfluorinated pesticides and PFAs

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Ending glyphosate is a virtuous goal, and reducing pesticides is essential

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Ending glyphosate is a virtuous goal, and reducing pesticides is essential (Prevent Cancer Now, 2023) with a quick review of several registered pesticides of concern. The Federal Government  (Canada) response to the Parliamentary Petition indicates no plan to support substantially lower-input and organic practices, to achieve substantial reduction in pesticides use and risk.

 a stated goal of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP-15), in Montreal this December, is to reduce pesticides by two thirds.

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

new page on Polyfluorinated pesticides and PFAs + EPA page

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Polyfluorinated pesticides and PFAs 

Some pesticides contain fluorine and some formulants (inerts) are fluorine based. In addition, at least HDPE plastics used in containers (i.e.for food and pesticides) contain them as well, and they are now known to leach from these containers into the content. The leaching is worse in products formulated in organic solvents such as methanol compared with water-based products. For both solvents tested (methanol and water), the study also shows continued gradual leaching of PFAS over time according to the EPA. Some pesticides contain a trifluoromethyl group that end up breaking off and forming ozone-depleting chemicals.It is apparently had to get information on that topic.

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Pesticide and Other Packaging (US EPA, updated 5 December 2023) This page describes EPA actions at all levels for these chemicals. 'In December 2022, the Agency issued a notice announcing the removal of 12 chemicals identified as PFAS from the current list of inert ingredients approved for use in nonfood pesticide products to better protect human health and the environment. These chemicals are no longer used in any registered pesticide product.'

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Work-Related Pesticide Exposure Puts Farmers at Risk of Cognitive (Intellectual) Harm

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Work-Related Pesticide Exposure Puts Farmers at Risk of Cognitive (Intellectual) Harm

(Beyond Pesticides, January 4, 2024) A review published in the Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice finds an association between farmers’ pesticide exposure and cognitive impairment. Specifically, farmers suffer from attention deficit, lack of information processing, non-comprehension of verbal cues, slow processing speed, memory loss, sluggishness, speech difficulties, and impaired motor function. Additionally, the risk of adverse effects from exposure increases with time spent around pesticides, like in other occupational (work-related) settings.

filed under health/nervous system effects

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Mental Health: Pesticides Continue to Impact the Body and Mind, Especially for Farmers

Depression

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Mental Health: Pesticides Continue to Impact the Body and Mind, Especially for Farmers

(Beyond Pesticides, January 17, 2024) Science continues to find a link between mental health and occupational (work-related) chemical exposure, with a study published in Toxicology finding an increased risk of depression among farmers exposed to pesticides. Brazil study. 

filed under mental health