12/3/08 Potato Farmers Aresal Under Attack

Potato Farmers Arsenal Under Attack. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. Yesterday we started a conversation with John Keeling, Executive Vice President and CEO of the National Potato Council who is very excited about the newest farm bill but cautious at the same time. They are keeping their eyes open to make sure the funding stays in place. Another issue Keeling is on top of is the fumigant issue. KEELING: Right now EPA is in the process of trying to re-register what we call the fumigants and this is chloropicrin and metam sodium and some others but these are critically important to potato growers in terms of their ability to control soil borne diseases and pests. And quite frankly it's a real problem because the regimen for buffer zones and monitoring and notification that the EPA has come up with is just not workable. Keeling says that most potato growers have been very outspoken on this issue. KEELING: The comment period on this closed in the last three weeks. We saw some very strong comments from growers in the Pacific Northwest and other parts of the country about just  you know there was no sugar coating this  it's just these regulations won't work. If you impose these regulations on us we will have to grow less acres. That also means that if the EPA continues on this course there will be lay-offs all over the region as the growers are forced to adhere to these strict regulations. Keeling says up till now there has not been much in the way of problems. KEELING: Metam sodium and the other fumigants have a good history of safe use. There are good management practices in place and additional ones can be put into place. Everybody within the potato industry agrees that these products should be restricted to commercial applicators only in the future so we have a high degree of safety we are willing to build into the system on the fact that it has been a successful applications over time so these buffers are just unworkable and will result in acres being idle. Northwest potato growers need to continue to speak out on this issue otherwise things art going to be very difficult in the future as the EPA brings more and more regulations on the growers.. Besides buffer zones the EPA is requiring posting regulations, ag worker protections, applicator and handler training, Emergency preparedness and response requirements and others. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.