New Pesticide Is First To Travel Between US, Canada

NAFTA boosters are boosting their usefulness after EPA Assistant Administrator Jim Gulliford announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency have given the first joint approval of a "harmonized label" for a pesticide product. The pesticide product is called Far-Go Granular Herbicide in the United States (EPA reg. 10163-287) and Avadex MicroActiv Herbicide in Canada and is registered for use on wheat, barley, beets, lentils and peas.

"As a result of extraordinary collaboration and leadership on the part of governments, growers, and pesticide producers, now joint U.S./Canadian pesticide labels are a reality,” said EPA Assistant Administrator Jim Gulliford. “Joint approvals maintain high safety standards, help ensure producers have pest control tools available, and advance the goal of a North American market for pesticides."

A harmonized label allows for cross-border movement of pesticide product since the harmonized package labeling satisfies the regulatory requirements in both countries with unique use directions to accommodate differences in the two countries’ use patterns. Thus, the harmonized labels safeguard public health protections in both the United States and Canada.

Currently, 12 more pesticide products are in the pipeline for NAFTA label development. Besides making more choices available, the end result could be lower prices for consumers says Consumer Help Web president Joan Bounacos. "More products mean more choice and that ultimately leads to a wider range of prices," said the consumer advocacy company's CEO. "NAFTA is just one mechanism that allows trade to flow freely between partner countries and increase the choices available. Higher end products will naturally move to that end of the cost scale while other products fight to be the low cost provider. This creates more job, saves consumers money and even brings about more jobs. It's a win-win-win scenario."

Labels: NAFTA, pesticide

posted by Consumer Help Web Editorial Team at 7:32 AM |