Pesticide Law and Policy blog covering developments in conventional, biocidal, antimicrobial, and other pesticide product issues

December 13, 2024

EPA Announces the Issuance of First Voucher to Incentivize the Development of Novel Mosquito Control Products

On December 6, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it has issued its first voucher under its Vector Expedited Review Voucher (VERV) Program as a result of a recent approval by EPA of a new active ingredient, Wolbachia pipientis wAlbB strain. The VERV Program, which is required by the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act of 2022 (PRIA 5) and announced in December 2023, was developed in response to ongoing challenges with mosquito control...
December 11, 2024

EPA Announces Proposed Rule to Revoke Most Food Uses of the Insecticide Chlorpyrifos

On December 2, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposed rule to revoke all tolerances for chlorpyrifos except for those tolerances associated with the 11 food and feed crops that remain registered. 89 Fed. Reg. 99184. EPA is taking this action in response to a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Comments on the proposed rule are due on or before February 10, 2025. Comments can be...
December 6, 2024

EPA Releases Proposed Guidance for Antimicrobial Pesticides that Require Endangered Species Act Reviews

On December 2, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released, and is seeking public comment on, its proposed guidance for antimicrobial pesticide registrants intended to improve the efficiency of Endangered Species Act (ESA) considerations for new active ingredients, new uses, and registration review actions for antimicrobial pesticides. Comments are due on or before January 1, 2025. EPA states that this guidance, when issued in final, will fulfill the requirements outlined in...
December 4, 2024

EPA Announces 2025 Annual Pesticide Maintenance Fee Forms Available to Download from EPA Website — Deadline for Paying Is January 15, 2025

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released the annual pesticide registration maintenance fee materials for fiscal year (FY) 2025. The deadline for payment of EPA’s annual maintenance fee for pesticide registration is January 15, 2025. Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Section 4(i)(1)(A) requires everyone who holds an active or suspended pesticide registration granted under FIFRA Sections 3 and 24(c) (special local needs) to pay an annual maintenance...
December 4, 2024

EPA Announces Release of Draft Guidance to Support Registration of Pre-saturated Disinfecting Wipes

On November 20, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the release of its draft guidance for public comment to support registration and evaluation of efficacy claims for pre-saturated antimicrobial towelettes on hard non-porous surfaces such as stainless steel, metal, glass, hard plastic, or sealed wood, commonly seen in the market as “disinfecting wipes,” using a recently approved standard test method. The draft guidance is available at EPA-HQ-OPP-2024-0414-0004....
November 26, 2024

EPA Announces the Availability of Thousands of Records on EPA’s Review of Studies on Pesticides

On November 22, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of more than 4,500 Data Evaluation Records (DER) in ChemView, a public portal that houses data and review of toxic chemicals. EPA defines a DER as the documented EPA review of studies submitted during the request to register a pesticide or during the registration review process. The studies for which EPA may prepare a DER include product chemistry, toxicology, ecological effects, human...
November 22, 2024

EPA Announces Interim Guidance on the 2024 Application Exclusion Zone (AEZ) Rule under the Agriculture Worker Protection Standard

On November 13, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the release of its interim guidance and additional materials to support the regulatory community in implementing the requirements of the October 4, 2024, final rule for the Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS) Application Exclusion Zone (AEZ) (2024 AEZ Rule). EPA also has created a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document regarding the rulemaking, as well as a chart comparing the differences between the 2015...
November 22, 2024

EPA Releases Updates to Suggested Pesticide Benefits Information Submittals

On November 6, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the release of updates to suggestions it provides to registrants when they develop benefits information for new conventional pesticide registrations and new outdoor uses of conventional pesticides. EPA states the updated document may assist registrants to ensure they submit useful and complete benefits-related information and thus save EPA’s review time for new pesticide registrations and outdoor uses. As background,...
November 7, 2024

WEBINAR — Cultivated meat: opportunities and challenges, November 14, 2024, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (EST)

The International Bar Association (IBA) Agriculture and Food Section (AFS) is pleased to present a webinar, “Cultivated meat: opportunities and challenges,” on November 14, 2024, spotlighting the considerable opportunities cultivated meat offers. Cultivated meat, also known as lab-grown or cell-based meat, introduces a groundbreaking approach to meat production, poised to tackle the challenges of traditional animal agriculture. During this event, presenters Maarten Van der Heijden, Food and...
October 15, 2024

EPA Issues Annual Progress Report on Pesticide Reregistration Performance Measures and Goals

On October 3, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of its progress report (Report) in meeting its performance measures and goals for pesticide reregistration during fiscal years (FY) 2020, 2021, and 2022. 89 Fed. Reg. 80558. Section 4(l) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) requires EPA to publish information about EPA’s annual achievements in this area. The Report discusses the...