News
Deadline extended for EPA atrazine comments
The EPA has extended the deadline for comment on its proposal to lower the allowable use of atrazine by farmers. The new deadline is October 4th, 2016. Gary Marshall is the head of the Triazine Network and CEO of the Missouri Corn Growers Association.
He tells Brownfield Ag News the network told the EPA too many farmers would not have enough time to comment under the original deadline.
“Many of our farmers are still out in the fields working to put their crops in, making sure that the crops are watered and taken care of. It was going to be very difficult for us to get the tens of thousands of comments to the EPA that we thought were necessary. So, we asked the EPA to extend the comment period which they did.”
Marshall says atrazine has been around for 50 years, is a necessary weed control tool and has been proven to be safe, “Atrazine is used in combinations with dozens of other chemicals and the problem with what EPA is doing now is they’re reducing the rate SO low that it’s going to be ineffective as part of a farmer’s tillage system and weed control system.”
AUDIO: Interview with Gary Marshall
Although atrazine herbicide is among the oldest of herbicides it still remains useful to me as a pre-emergence and post-emergence, stand alone herbicide as well as one which offers an alternative mode-of-action in herbicide in combinations of herbicides to control many kinds of broadleaf weeds. The maximum allowable applied amount is still necessary to meet our agricultural needs.