10/09/08 Soil fumigant comment period

The Environmental Protection Agency's comment period on soil fumigants ends on October 31st. Idaho farmers use the fumigants on potatoes, onions and beets. Many of them think the proposed EPA rules are more red tape that will add to their costs and cut acreage in many cases. On the other side of the coin environmental groups say EPA didn't go far enough with its decisions on methyl bromide, metam sodium, metam potassium, Dazomet and Chloropicrin. EPA's Steve Bradbury and his colleagues are in Idaho this week talking with producers and chemical companies about new soil fumigant labels that will be appearing in early 2010. BRADBURY "Our game plan was to finalize these decisions and then have the year of 2009 to begin with training and other outreach to work toward the transition for implementation in 2010. We're getting a lot of constructive work with people that are working towards the middle if you will." EPA says field workers and bystanders can suffer ill effects from these fumigants and that's why the agency is proposing that farmers have among other things a written management plan, buffer zones around treated fields, warning signs, worker protection and training. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott