Article Archives
Take Action Now!

Monday, January 30, 2017
filed under: Insects

Dear Sunflower Producer,
       The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a preliminary risk assessment of pyrethroids, which includes unrealistic use information that will lead to significant restrictions unless growers comment on the benefits and provide realistic use information for these products.
       I am sure you are aware of the importance of pyrethroids to sunflower production. Pyrethroids make up approximately 50% of the total active ingredients available for insecticide use in sunflowers. During the 2010-2014 growing seasons, 84.5% of all sunflower acres were sprayed with pyrethroids.
       Sunflower beetle, sunflower stem weevil, banded sunflower moth and red sunflower seed weevil are four major pests that can cause major damage to sunflower. Sunflower producers are 100% dependent on two Modes of Action (MOA), as only pyrethroid and organophosphate (OPs) containing products are labeled for control of all four of these major pests.  Of those products, approximately 70% are either pyrethroid alone or a pyrethroid premix.  For sunflower moth, producers have three MOA in pyrethroids, OPs and diamides. However, with the loss of flubendiamide, only chlorantraniliprole remains. Therefore, the loss of pyrethroids would significantly impact your ability to implement sound IPM practices, and resistance potential would likely increase.
       EPA will be inundated with comments from groups and individuals that want to heavily restrict the use of pyrethroids or even take away this important tool from your toolbox.  As a critical stakeholder, your voice is extremely important, and NSA is enlisting your support to provide input to the EPA on the critical nature of these products and how any attempt to restrict these products will significantly impact your farming operation.
       Follow the link below to take action by providing your comments on how pyrethroids are used, their critical role in resistance management and IPM programs, and other benefits of pyrethroid use. The link also provides additional items to assist you in creating your comments for posting to the EPA docket.

Submit your comments with this link.

The deadline for comments is March 31.
       Thank you for submitting your input on the critical nature of these products. Feel free to contact John Sandbakken, NSA?executive director, at (701) 328-5102 with any questions.

Sincerely,
 
Karl Esping
Sunflower Producer & NSA President
Lindsborg, Kansas 
return to top of page
   More about Sunflower ►