© Kentucky Corn Growers Association.
info@kycorn.org
 

Editorial Submitted to The Farmer's Pride, March 15, 2010
Atrazine Under Attack Again by Elitist, Agenda Driven Activists
Farmers Encouraged to Stand Up for Beneficial Crop Protection Product

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. That seems to be the mantra of a group of elite environmental activists that won’t let their vendetta against atrazine die. Despite countless years of studies that prove the safety of this important, commonly-used herbicide, groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council and self-proclaimed expert scientists continue to push outrageous claims against atrazine. Unfortunately, they keep finding traction in sympathetic media and even within the halls of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the very group that in 2006 said atrazine would cause no harm to the general population. 

Atrazine is a legally approved and heavily regulated product after exhaustive research including nearly 6,000 studies which determined it is safe for use as labeled.  There is no other crop protection product that has received more examination than atrazine.  Based on sound science and rigorous review, the EPA determined that atrazine poses "no harm that would result to the general U.S. population, infants, children or other ... consumers."

Even with this weight of evidence and EPA's diligent investigative process of atrazine, EPA has decided to re-evaluate the safety of the product before the 10-year registration period is up. This legal and political attack has been launched against atrazine relies on a handful of studies which, by objective scientific standards, offer questionable conclusions. In contrast, more than 6,000 studies conducted by scientists around the world have shown that atrazine is safe to use as labeled – providing farmers an important tool to bring us safe, abundant and nutritious food.

In January, the Kentucky Corn Growers Association (KyCGA), with more than 50 other agricultural groups across the nation signed onto a letter to EPA clarifying growers’ support for atrazine. We also asked EPA to use science, not politics, to arrive at a decision on the safety of atrazine.

It is estimated that the loss of atrazine would cost corn growers $28 per acre in lost yields and substitutes, and the total negative impact on corn, sorghum and sugar cane growers in the U.S. would exceed $2 billion per year. (Interesting side note: those figures came from the EPA.) This loss of income would also trickle down to the economies of towns where farmers reside and do business.

Atrazine has environmental benefits as well. Atrazine enables farming methods that eliminate plowing and reduce tillage.  Any farmer can tell you this is a good way to make cropland far less vulnerable to soil erosion.  Farmers also see first-hand that this form of no-till, conservation agriculture cuts down on the runoff of sediment into our local waterways. 

It is paramount that growers stand together to support this critical crop protection product.

Our next effort in support of atrazine will occur late next month at an EPA scientific advisory panel, and I encourage you to help us stand up for atrazine. We may need you to send in comments to the EPA when the docket opens, or you can talk with your legislators and ask them to make sure the EPA is operating using sound science—not political agenda—when they take another look at atrazine or other crop protection products.

For the facts about atrazine, please go to www.atrazine.com.

Best Management Practices

Producers must take special care in their application methods in order to preserve ground and surface water safety.

The KyCGA has been working with Syngenta and other agencies to prevent and eliminate these unacceptable levels of Atrazine by implementing individualized grower education and consulting programs.

We encourage you, as responsible stewards of the environment, to remember the Best Management Practices when using Atrazine:

Know Your Field. Conduct a farm site evaluation to determine which fields are highly erodible and at risk for potential groundwater contamination. Also identify wells, sinkholes, and points where field surface water enters intermittent or perennial streams, rivers, lakes or reservoirs.

Read the Atrazine product label. Note special restrictions and precautions regarding environmental hazards. The label is the law.

Calibrate equipment properly. Proper calibration is the key to applying the proper rates of Atrazine. Inaccurate tank volume and pressure gauges or worn nozzles also cause improper application. Inspect your equipment before each use. At a minimum, sprayers should be calibrated at the start of the season and every time you change materials.

Fill tanks properly. Where possible, fill sprayer in the field and use a nurse tank as a water source. Note the proper setback from sinkholes, streams, wells or other water sources. Use an air break or anti-back siphoning device between the sprayer and water source to prevent back siphoning.

• Do not mix, load or apply Atrazine product within 50 feet of drinking water wells, livestock wells, irrigation wells, abandoned wells or sinkholes.

• Do not mix or load an Atrazine product within 50 feet of intermittent streams, perennial streams, rivers, lakes or reservoirs.

• Do not apply an Atrazine product within 200 feet of lakes or reservoirs.

• Do not apply an Atrazine product within a 66-foot arc measured from points where surface water runoff enters intermittent streams, perennial streams or rivers.

Clean sprayer in the field. Flushing or cleaning of equipment should be done at the application site or field away from wells or other water sources.

Minimize runoff.

• Use appropriate crop management practices.

• Use grass filter strips when needed.

• Use no-till if possible.

• Use chisel plowing instead of moldboard plowing.

Store and dispose of Atrazine properly. Purchase only amounts needed. Any unused product should be stored in the original container in a secured, dry, ventilated area. Location of pesticide storage facilities should be a minimum of 100 feet from wells, springs, cisterns, open channel sinkholes and perennial streams.

Dispose Atrazine containers properly. Atrazine container disposal can be accomplished in a safe, environmentally responsible manner.

• Triple rinse all plastic jugs according to label instructions. Call your local county extension agent of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture for the nearest Rinse and Return Program in your area.

• Use water soluble packets whenever available. The outside portion can be put in the trash.

• Bulk and mini-bulk containers can be returned to dealers.

• Plastic bags cannot be burned. All empty Atrazine plastic bags can be put into the trash and sent to an approved landfill.

• By federal law, Restricted Use Herbicides such as Atrazine require accurate records of the application.

• An applicator must make a written record within 30 days after application.

• Records to keep include product name and EPA registration number, total amount applied, location, crop or site of application, size of treated area, name and certification number of applicator or supervisor, and date of application.

Ask for evaluation assistance. Work with dealers or applicators and evaluate your fields before the planting season. Call you Cooperative Extension Service or the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service for additional evaluation assistance.

For a complete BMP guide to Atrazine, contact the Kentucky Department of Agriculture at (502) 564-7274.

Helpful Links: www.atrazine.com