Washington-Agriculture interests are still trying to determine how growers across the country will be affected by tough new safety regulations announced recently by EPA for five widely used soil fumigants, including methyl bromide, metam sodium, metam potassium, dazomet, and chloropicrin. Officials with the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) say they’re still in the process of evaluating the 1,000 or more pages handed down last month and scheduled to go into effect in 2010, including buffer zones that in some cases would be up to a half mile. “As a matter of policy we don’t support buffer mandates,” stated AFBF Director of Energy and Environment Paul Schlegel. “That’s one of the main concerns that we have.” The setbacks under the EPA changes would range from 25 feet to a half a mile, and farmers wouldn’t be able to fumigate near day-care centers, schools, and nursing homes. Other new requirements involve site-specific fumigant management plans; outreach programs to educate the community about the fumigants and their risks; training programs for handlers, workers, and emergency responders; and minimum 48-hour notification before fumigation, plus warning signs around buffer areas and air quality monitoring. Methyl bromide would be banned where alternatives are available. Schlegel said the American Farm Bureau is soliciting a list of concerns from all state bureaus and explained that EPA is not accepting comments as such, but has indicated some modifications may be allowed. California Farm Bureau spokesman Dave Krantz said growers in his state are already used to tough fumigant regulations, but he expects his bureau will provide comments. Mike Arts, with the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Assn., told Green Markets that “we want to understand everything contained in the 1,000 pages before we make any comments.”
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