The European Commission plans to strengthen rules on controlling the emergence and spread of plant pests and diseases in the EU by 2012. The existing EU plant health regime dates back to 1977 and needs revising to account for globalisation and climate change, which are leading to a sharp increase in the impact of harmful organisms, the Commission notes. A new evaluation of the existing regime concludes that revisions should include: better prevention provisions concerning plant imports and ...

The European Commission plans to strengthen rules on controlling the emergence and spread of plant pests and diseases in the EU by 2012. The existing EU plant health regime dates back to 1977 and needs revising to account for globalisation and climate change, which are leading to a sharp increase in the impact of harmful organisms, the Commission notes. A new evaluation of the existing regime concludes that revisions should include: better prevention provisions concerning plant imports and ...

The European Commission has proposed approvals for three more active ingredients as non-crop pesticides. Proposals to add Dow AgroSciences’ insecticide, spinosad, and Sumitomo Chemical’s insecticide, metofluthrin, to Annex I of the EU biocidal products Directive (98/8) have been passed to EU Ministers for clearance. The third proposal is to extend carbon dioxide’s existing EU approval to use as an insecticide, following an application by Rentokil Initial. Carbon dioxide is already approved as a ...

The US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has finalised its biological opinion (BiOp) on the third batch of 12 pesticides subject to consultation with the EPA over risks to endangered salmon. It concludes that the herbicide, bensulide, and the insecticides, dimethoate, ethoprop, methidathion, naled, phorate and phosmet are likely to jeopardise 23 threatened or endangered salmon populations. The final BiOp lists “reasonable and prudent alternatives” (RPAs) for the seven active ...

The US EPA has proposed the registration of Gowan’s plant growth regulator, GWN-6010 (prohexadione-calcium 27.5%), for use on commercial and residential turf. It is aimed at managing growth and improving quality and stress tolerance. As the first proposed residential use of the active ingredient, it is subject to public comment until September 24th. BASF introduced the ai, as Apogee, in the US on apples in 2000 (Agrow No 352, p 20). It has also been approved for use on pears, peanuts and grass ...

The Argentine Secretary of Agriculture will authorise the production of genetically modified soybeans for export, the Argentine government says. Secretary Lorenzo Basso has approved the “GM soybean production for export protocol for approved events in Argentina”. It administers the approval process for production of GM soybeans destined for export. The Secretary is head of the agriculture and cattle office sub-department of the Ministry of Agriculture. Applications will only be considered for ...

The Brazilian toxicology authorities have halted the production and sale of certain FMC agrochemicals following inspections at its Uberaba plant. They are the insecticide, carbofuran, and the herbicide, ametryn. The national health surveillance agency, the Anvisa, found 38.9 tonnes of the insecticide, Diafuran 50G (carbofuran), and 73.7 tonnes of the active ingredient with expiry dates that passed in 2009. Diafuron 50G is approved for use on 13 crops including cotton, maize, sugar cane and ...

China’s agrochemical exports edged up 5.5% to $420 million in the second quarter of 2010. Volumes dipped by 0.7% on the same period last year to 142,000 tonnes. The data were published by the Chinese Customs Department in the national newspaper, the AgriGoods Herald. They reveal that the average export price for the period was $2,941/tonne. First-quarter exports were valued at $490 million, up 25.8% year-on-year (Agrow No 568, p 22). Imports for the period were up in volume and value terms, to ...

The Australian Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is to sponsor the development of biocontrol products for use against serious pests of arable crops in Australia. It expects to invest up to Aus$2 million (US$1.8 million) over the next four years in one or more projects. The GRDC is calling on researchers from around the world to suggest potential biopesticides, biological control agents, semiochemicals and natural products such as plant extracts for the control of key pests and ...

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has begun reviewing an application from Bayer CropScience for food derived from its genetically modified herbicide-tolerant FG72 soybeans. They are tolerant to glyphosate and isoxazole herbicides. Bayer agreed with US trait and technology provider M S Technologies and soybean breeder Mertec in 2007 to develop lines with tolerance to glyphosate and isoxazoles such as Bayer’s Balance Pro (isoxaflutole – Agrow No 533, p 1). The company has applied for ...

The Australian Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) has cautioned barley growers about the risks of fungicide resistance. The warning follows the identification of a strain of powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis hordei) resistant to the triazole fungicide, tebuconazole. It is the first case of resistance to a fungicide in an arable crop in Australia, the GRDC points out. The resistant strain was found in Western Australia, where the performance of older triazoles has been questioned ...

Somalia has become the 160th party to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and follows the accession of Guinea-Bissau earlier this year. The Protocol governs the cross-boundary movement of genetically modified organisms, seeking to ensure safety in their transfer, handling and use. Only three African countries, Burkina Faso, Egypt and South Africa have grown GM crops on a commercial basis, while 11 have biosafety legislation (Agrow No 582, p 26).

The Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) has proposed that 100,000 acres (40,500 ha) of land be set aside for growing genetically modified cotton, newswire The East African reports. The country is about to issue biosafety regulations in the official gazette, allowing the cultivation of GM cotton (Agrow No 597, p 24). The country’s Biosafety Act was passed last year (Agrow No 562, p 17). The country would become the third in Africa to grow GM cotton, after initially South Africa then ...

The industry association, CropLife International, has called for global action across industry sectors to tackle counterfeit products, including pesticides. The call for a “partnership-based approach” was made to coincide with World Anti-Counterfeiting Day on June 8th. CropLife outlined three key principles for tackling counterfeiting: encouraging customs officials to share vital information listed on import/export documents; providing more support for police and regulators to track and stop ...

The global agrochemical market in 2009 fell 9.6% to $37,700 million, reveals the provisional estimate by the German agrochemical industry association, the IVA. The fall comes after the record 25.6% increase in 2008 (Agrow No 568, p 22). A large part of the drop was due to currency effects, with the average annual exchange rate for the euro against the US dollar having gone up by 5.9% in 2009. The decline in euro terms was less drastic at 4.6%, with sales down to €27,100 million. That compared ...