EPA Approves Section 18 Emergency Registration Request for Kasugamycin on Almonds
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Department of Pesticide Regulation recently accepted a Section 18 petition to allow the use of Kasumin 2L (kasugamycin) to control bacterial blast (Pseudomonas sp) in almonds. The registration allows up to two applications under anticipated cold or freezing conditions on almonds at a use rate of 64 fl. oz. per acre from February 2, 2024, through petal fall. Application after petal fall is prohibited. Kasugamycin may only be used during bloom.
The approval applies to the counties of Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Fresno, Glenn, Madera, Merced, Placer, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Yolo, and Yuba.
Growers interested in this application are heavily encouraged to reference the Almond Board of California’s Honey Bee Best Management Practices as well as the Quick Guide for Applicators (in English & Spanish) to ensure pollinator health is maintained. As stated in these practices, growers should only use applications when absolutely necessary and should only make applications in the late afternoon or evening, when bees and pollen are not present.
Please contact your local County Ag Commissioner’s office for further details if interested in using this product.
Visit the California Department of Food and Agriculture website for a full list of County Ag Commissioners’ offices as well as contact information for each.
New DPR Updates for Soil Fumigant & Non-Soil Fumigant Licensees
Under the California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s (DPR) recently amended Certification and Training regulations, currently licensed individuals who want to continue to perform pest control using either soil fumigant or non-soil fumigant pesticides next year must obtain the appropriate new licensing category starting January 1, 2024.
The new Soil Fumigation (Category L) is required for individuals who perform pest control using a pesticide labeled as a fumigant to control soil pests in sites including fields, forests, golf courses, greenhouses, and individual tree or vine hole sites. Individuals who previously performed this type of pest control under the Field Fumigation (Subcategory O), which is no longer a subcategory after December 31, 2023, will have to obtain the new Category L if they wish to continue performing soil fumigations.
***Contact your local County Ag Commissioner to confirm that the county is exercising discretion.***
If you are looking for more information on this regulation package please visit –> https://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/license/cert_training.htm
APHIS Expands Three Fruit Fly Quarantines
APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles
LOS ANGELES CO., Calif. — On November 15, 2023, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) expanded a Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata; Medfly) quarantine and a Zeugodacus tau fruit fly quarantine in Los Angeles County. Furthermore, on November 21, APHIS and CDFA expanded a Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni; QFF) quarantine in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties.
The expansion of the Medfly quarantine is in response to the confirmed detection of an unmated female Medfly by CDFA on November 8, from a trap in an avocado tree in a residential area. As a result of this detection, the Leimert Park area quarantine increased by 8 square miles to 98 square miles. APHIS and CDFA established the original Medfly quarantine on October 18 following the confirmed detection of two flies in the Leimert Park area on September 27, and expanded the quarantine on November 1 and November 7 following detections of additional flies. There is no commercial agriculture in the quarantine area.
The expansion of the Z. tau quarantine is in response to the confirmed detection of two adult male Z. tau by CDFA on November 4, from traps in ornamental trees in residential areas. As a results of these detections, the Stevenson Ranch area quarantine increased by 18 square miles to 128 square miles. APHIS and CDFA established the original Z. tau quarantine on July 11 following the confirmed detection of nine flies in the Stevenson Ranch area between June 7 and July 6, and expanded the quarantine on August 15, September 14, and October 3 following detections of additional flies. There is no commercial agriculture in the quarantine area.
The expansion of the QFF quarantine is in response to the confirmed detection of an adult male QFF by CDFA on November 13, from a trap in an ornamental tree in a residential area. As a result of this detection, the Thousand Oaks area quarantine increased by 14 square miles to 90 square miles. APHIS and CDFA established the original QFF quarantine on October 18 following the confirmed detection of two flies in the Thousand Oaks area on August 23 and October 9. There are a total of 3,379 acres of commercial citrus, avocado, stone fruits, and berries in the quarantine area.
APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles to prevent the spread of Medfly, Z. tau, and QFF to non-infested areas of the United States, as well as to prevent the entry of these fruit flies into foreign trade. APHIS is working with CDFA and the Agricultural Commissioners of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties to respond to these detections following program guidelines for survey, treatment, and regulatory actions.
These quarantine expansions are reflected on the APHIS fruit fly website, which contains a description of all current federal fruit fly quarantine areas. APHIS will publish a notice of these changes in the Federal Register.
For additional information on the quarantine areas, please contact Fruit Fly National Policy Manager Richard Johnson at 301-851-2109 or richard.n.johnson@usda.gov.
–Dr. Mark L Davidson
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine
USDA APHIS
Original article link courtesy of Morning AgClips
(Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Public domain)