Since many strawberry growers have used paraquat to clean up row middles you need to be aware of additional measures that our U.S. EPA has proposed for paraquat (full details at https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/epa-proposes-new-safety-measures-paraquat). See highlighted measures
“As outlined in the proposed interim decision for paraquat, the agency is proposing new measures to reduce risks associated with paraquat in order to better to protect human health and the environment. These measures include:
- Prohibiting aerial application for all uses and use sites except cotton desiccation;
- Prohibiting pressurized handgun and backpack sprayer application methods on the label;
- Limiting the maximum application rate for alfalfa to one pound of active ingredient per acre;
- Requiring enclosed cabs if area treated in 24-hour period is more than 80 acres;
- Requiring enclosed cabs or PF10 respirators if area treated in 24-hour period is 80 acres or less;
- Requiring a residential area drift buffer and 7-day restricted entry interval (REI) for cotton desiccation;
- Requiring a 48-hour REI for all crops and uses except cotton desiccation; and
- Adding mandatory spray drift management label language.
In addition, EPA is proposing to allow truck drivers who are not certified applicators to transport paraquat when certain conditions are met.”
This information was taken from a post by our vegetable, cotton and wheat weed scientist Dr. Stanley Culpepper.
