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News, events, and happenings in Colquitt County agriculture.

From the U.S. EPA: “Based on the revised draft risk assessments and feedback submitted during the public comment period, EPA is proposing the following new measures to mitigate the ecological, dietary, and aggregate cancer risks of concern:
• Terminate all herbicide uses on food and feed crops to address dietary and aggregate risks of
concern to the general public and ecological risks of concern;
• Revoke all food and feed tolerances to address dietary risks of concern to the general public (except
for a single tolerance to support the remaining cotton harvest aid use).”

Clearly, we are being placed in a very difficult dilemma with diuron. The importance of this herbicide for
our cotton farmers is immeasurable. However, at the same time, not one of us wants to use a product that
is unsafe for our applicators, the environment, or our consumers. The challenge is that the details being
provided by the U.S. EPA AND diuron manufacturers is, let’s say, beyond confusing! As we work diligently
to understand the current available science and search for a potential solution, we must have our voices
heard.
The end of the comment period for this decision is July 27, 2022. I would encourage each of you (farmers,
consultants, etc.) to have your voice heard. The most important objective with comments at this time is for us to

1) define the importance of diuron to cotton production, 2) explain how the herbicide is used in Georgia
cotton, and 3) communicate the lack of potential alternative options.
Consider making your comments through one of two potential avenues. Option 1: make a direct comment yourself (link below “submit comments”) or Option 2: contact your local extension agricultural agent as our goal is to submit letters from various counties addressing the aforementioned objectives helping the U.S. EPA better understand diuron use in Georgia cotton.
Diuron PID: https://www.regulations.gov/document/EPA-HQ-OPP-2015-0077-0065
Submit comments: https://www.regulations.gov/document/EPA-HQ-OPP-2015-0077-0061

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