By Kurt Nolte, UA agriculture agent, Yuma County

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved all soil fumigant labels, implementing the next phase of new soil fumigant mitigation measures. With these new regulations, producers using soil fumigants must abide by stronger restrictions and mitigation regulation, all of which will be noted on the pesticide label.

The soil fumigants that fall under these new EPA regulations include: chloropicrin, dazomet, 1,3-dichloropropene, iodomethane, metam sodium/potassium, methyl bromide, and methyl isothiocyanate (MITC).

One notable change is that all soil fumigants will now be classified as restricted-use pesticides (RUPs). This includes metam sodium and dazomet, which previously were not classified as RUPs. This also means that any applicator in Arizona who wishes to use soil fumigants needs to become certified before they can apply them.

Other new mitigation measures include: additional worker protection measures, written fumigant management plans, registrants’ stewardship and training programs, mandatory good agricultural practices, buffer zones and buffer posting, and emergency preparedness and response measures.

Special training workshops to address the new regulations are being organized in Arizona. Applications for 4.5 AZ/CA CEU’s have been made.

The workshop schedule includes:

Feb. 22 – Yuma – 1 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 23 – Buckeye – 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Feb. 24 – Maricopa - 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Feb. 25 – Willcox - 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Contact Nolte: (928) 726-3904 or knolte@ag.arizona.edu.