Tell EPA to follow the science

ofs-foodshelterBy Oregonians for Food and Shelter

The future of your crop protection tools is at stake. Now is the time to tell EPA to follow good science and let them know what simazine and/or atrazine mean to your crop production!

Who is really running the Environmental Protection Agency?

Recently, the EPA released a draft Ecological Risk Assessment on atrazine and simazine, popular herbicides used for weed control in growing a variety of crops in Oregon. Unfortunately, the federal agency is refusing to follow the law. Instead of using sound science in today’s review process, political activism is driving the re-registration of these important products.

EPA registration review is required for all pesticides every 15 years to update and modernize the science and risk assessments. As part of the review process, on June 2, 2016 EPA released its draft ecological risk assessments, which drew conclusions based on a number of scientific errors and flawed interpretations. The future of atrazine and simazine is at stake so it is critical for our industry to weigh in with EPA to ensure they are following sound science and accurate data prior to making any final decisions. The agency needs to learn about the importance of these products to your customer’s crop production. The comment period closes on October 4, 2016.

Implications of EPA’s action if adopted:

– Sets a dangerous precedent when it comes to approving crop protection tools
– Puts farmers at a great economic disadvantage
– Drastically sets back conservation efforts
– Has dire implications for herbicide resistance in weeds

Trade names for ATRAZINE include:

AAtrex
Gesaprim
Primatop
Primoleo
Akozine
Trac
Crisazina
Altra-5
and others, check your labels

Trade names for SIMAZINE include:
Gesatope
Princep
Caliber 90
Simanex
and others, check your labels


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