ANLA Submits Comments to EPA on Draft Pesticide Efficacy Rules

The American Nursery & Landscape Association submitted comments in March to the EPA's Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Scientific Advisory Panel (FIFRA-SAP), which is reviewing stricter guidelines on pesticide labeling. The guidelines may limit the chemical options available to landscape contractors treating pests, and would not provide an exception for dealing with new or invasive pests that require rapid response, i.e., the contractor has to deal with the pests and can't wait around for efficacy studies to be completed. The good news, according to the ANLA, is the panel is still in the early stages of reviewing the guidelines. The association is working with other concerned parties to make sure a broad range of chemistries remains available for handling pest problems.