While Chlorpyrifos Ban Won’t Come Immediately, Concerns Remain For Farm Country

The EPA’s recent decision to end the use of the widely employed food and non-food crop pesticide chlorpyrifos will not take effect immediately. American Farm Bureau Vice President of Public Affairs Sam Kieffer said they asked EPA staffers about the timing of the chlorpyrifos ban and when it was being announced, which he noted led the AFBF to believe the ban was immediate. But Kieffer said that information’s now changed.

"We expect EPA to publish their rule in the Federal Register here in late August, and the rule will go into effect six months after they publish it.”

But Kieffer says there could be complications.

“The tricky thing will be the use of any stocks. Presumably, one could use on-farm stocks, but if any residues are found on any food products or, potentially, any feed products, in the next six months, there could be some ramifications.”

Kieffer said that lets producers off the hook for now, but after that, fruit and vegetable growers may have to turn to two or three alternate pesticides to do the same job as chlorpyrifos. AFBF officials said that could increase production costs and potentially decrease yields, depending on several factors.

EPA’s ban does not affect cotton and golf courses.

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