Exacto senior leadership, along with other agricultural companies, recently engaged in advocacy efforts in Washington, DC, taking in two dozen meetings with congressional leadership, senators, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address a major issue related to the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Since 1972, Pesticides have been regulated under what is known as the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). This act was intended to be the sole federal statute for regulating pesticides, but the passage of the ESA in 1973 added complexity by requiring federal agencies to consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) or the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Decades of lawsuits and legal issues have come to a head and the industry is now looking at major changes to herbicide labels and application restrictions. The result has been a newly drafted Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Herbicide Strategy that targets the reduction of herbicide impact on endangered and threatened species.
The history and impacts of this issue are summarized well in this article by Scott Rawlins, Director of Governmental Affairs with the Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology (CPDA).
In short, the impact of the proposed Herbicide Strategy could create larger hurdles such as time and data requirements for pesticide registration and the requirement of buffer zones for farmers. The requirement of buffer zones for certain herbicides could significantly reduce the number of acres in production across the United States and reduce the number of weed control options available to farmers. Fewer herbicide options could result in lower productivity and further exacerbate the development of resistance in weed populations, ultimately leading to more herbicide use.
The CPDA is working diligently with EPA and CropLife America to establish adjuvants as a mitigation tool. Adjuvants are not currently included despite a wide body of evidence that many products reduce spray drift when tank-mixed with herbicides. Exacto’s Vice President of Technical Services & Innovation Frank Sexton, and Director of Research, Development & Innovation Glen Obear, Ph.D. are working closely with CPDA and its diverse group of members to provide this evidence and documentation validating the efficacy of adjuvants in drift reduction. While hooded sprayers are an excellent mitigation strategy, adjuvants offer unmatched ease of use and flexibility, with the ability to tailor adjuvant approaches to individual tank mixes and spray conditions.
Wally Beecroft, Byron Hendrix, CPDA President Terry Kipley, and representatives from other member companies met to discuss the next farm bill and ESA issue.
Exacto CEO Wally Beecroft serves on the CPDA board, and together with Agricultural Market Director Byron Hendrix, joined CPDA leadership and lawmakers on Capitol Hill in Washington DC in March 2024. CPDA lobbied with several lawmakers and decision-makers to advocate for the recognition of adjuvants as a mitigation tool.
“Exacto, CPDA, and other association member companies are joining forces to address the ESA issue”, said Wally Beecroft. “First, we are asking the EPA to include drift reduction adjuvants (DRAs) as a mitigation option. DRAs are a proven and sustainable tool that reduces off-target movement which will lessen the size of no-spray buffers. Second, we are calling on Congress to include language in the next farm bill for the USDA to conduct an economic study examining the impacts of ESA effects on the pesticide regulatory process. This is a critical issue that, if unaddressed, could devastate the farm economy, food prices, and food security.”
Byron Hendrix explained, “As a Certified Crop Advisor (CCA), I am passionate about implementing strategies where we can work with the NRCS to create management plans that include adjuvant products to flex options for the ESA’s mitigation strategies.”
The EPA’s Herbicide Strategy was open for public comments from July 2023 to October 22, 2023, and the agency is now compiling all comments and information from stakeholders before implementing the strategy sometime in 2024.
If adjuvants are recognized as a mitigation tool, it will build upon the excellent progress the adjuvant industry has made to develop quality products backed by research, which ultimately help growers keep applications on-target where they can be most effective.
As the industry enters a new era where ESA and FIFRA clash and the EPA’s Herbicide Strategy adds complexity to weed control, Exacto will continue to serve the by stewarding its products and customers. Exacto’s purpose is to “empower applicators, growers, and resource managers with advanced product solutions to enable operational success and sustainability.” For over 40 years, Exacto has helped applicators improve input efficiency and performance in their operations, with a foundation of dozens of drift control products that span multiple product chemistries. This new era of adjuvant development will be enhanced by the amazing network of suppliers, partners, customers, and leaders in the agrochemical industry, and with collaboration and combined efforts, the adjuvant industry is poised to make an impact like never before.
Dicamba, 2,4-D, and glufosinate tolerance for soybeans and cotton have opened a new world of opportunity for using these herbicides for post-emergence weed control. However, these opportunities also introduce challenges with antagonism when multiple herbicides are tank-mixed.
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