NIFA Looking for Environmentally Friendly Replacements for Methyl Bromide

The National Institute for Food and Agriculture, or NIFA, is opening up nearly $2 million in funding to research for more environmentally friendly options for Methyl Bromide.

NIFA Director Sonny Ramaswamy said it’s important to find something just as effective.

“Methyl Bromide itself is a really powerful as a pesticide. It can kill insects, it can kill fungi, it can kill bacteria, it can kill nematodes, so as a fumigant, it works really well.”

NIFA is looking to transition farmers away because Methyl Bromide is believed to deplete the ozone layer.

Ramaswamy said it is attractive because it’s effective, it’s cheap and it dissipates quickly.

“Because it’s so simple, it can volatilize pretty easily, become a gas pretty easily.”

Grant funding applications are due by January 30^th, 2018.