Issue No. 139, September 1997

Open Forum:
In an attempt to promote free and open discussion of issues, The Agrichemical and Environmental News encourages letters and articles with differing views. To include an article, contact: Dr. Catherine Daniels, Food and Environmental Quality Laboratory, 2710 University Drive, Richland, WA 99352-1671, ph: 509-372-7495, fax: 509-372-7491,
E-mail: cdaniels@tricity.wsu.edu

Note: Based on instructions from WSU CAHE administration, information in this newsletter not originating from WSU contains a headline in the same color as the word "Note" at the beginning of this paragraph. This is to help ensure that readers can readily identify material obtained from a source outside WSU.

In This Issue

Note: The animated spider graphic appearing at this site is used with permission. Copyright and use information may be obtained at http://www.inscot.demon.co.uk

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News and Notes

Note: The AENews is accessible from the World Wide Web via http://picol.cahe.wsu.edu
Enter this address carefully, paying close attention to punctuation and spacing (no spaces between parts of the address). Some readers may experience difficulties accessing the site. These are believed to be related to the Internet and to on-line services, not the web site. If you are having a problem accessing the web page, please inform Dr. Catherine Daniels (ph: 509-372-7495, fax: 509-372-7491, E-mail: cdaniels@tricity.wsu.edu

Postcards to request continued receipt of the newsletter were sent in mid-September to Agrichemical and Environmental News subscribers. To remain on the mailing list, readers must fill out these post cards and return them by October 15.

For your information

The Washington State Commission on Pesticide Registration is accepting proposals for research on pesticides. Proposals are due by November 10. If you are interested in obtaining support for IR-4 projects or Section 18s in 1998, now is the time to make your requests known. If you are unsure of the impact the Food Quality Protection Act may have on your crop or site, now is the time to investigate. For all of these issues, you can contact Alan Schreiber at 509-372-7324 or at aschreib@tricity.wsu.edu for assistance or more information.

The Washington Pest Control Association plans its 1997 annual meeting for November 13 and 14 at the Yakima Convention Center.

This year's meeting is designed to meet the needs of crop consultants. It will include opportunities to learn about products used in crop production this past year, progress reports on the development of new chemicals, and how the industry can continue to address environmental issues currently receiving great attention from the non-farm public.

Some topics included in the general session are the following: Bullet proof your diagnosis, How insecticides work, Powdery mildew in hops 1997, Genesis - creation of new wheat varieties, and How application technology can make pesticide use compatible with environmental stewardship. Concurrent sessions will include demonstration of new technology and discussion of such topics as tree fruit, turf & ornamentals, row crops, irrigation technology and management, and chemical thinning.

Preregistration is $65. On-site registration is $75. Registration includes Thursday lunch, subscription to Agrichemical and Environmental News, annual dues ($10) and door prizes. Make checks payable to Washington Pest Consultants Association and mail to the association at P.O. Box 2456, Yakima, WA 98907. Please include with your check a printed note including your name, name of the company you represent, mailing and E-mail addresses, and phone and fax numbers.

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Holiday Inn, one block east of the Yakima Convention Center at 9 North 9th St., phone: 509-452-6511. Please be certain to say you are attending the Washington Pest Consultants Annual Meeting.

Agriculture is a major force in Washington state's economy. The gross value of Washington's agricultural commodities exceeds $23 billion, including processing, distribution and marketing.

The state's 36,000 farms cover some 15.7 million acres (37% of the state's total area) and provide more than 136,000 jobs during the year. Exports of agricultural products in 1994 totaled $2.35 billion; these exports generated significant revenue and jobs for the state's ports and transportation companies.

But while the industry is large, Washington's farms are small. For example, even though apples are the state's number one crop, the average farm size is only 42 acres. Most farms are family owned and operated. Only 44% of the state's farms are large enough to generate annual sales in excess of $10,000. The majority receives no federal or state subsidies.

Crops grown in Washington are seasonal, and the demand for workers is seasonal as well.

The Washington Pest Management Exposition scheduled for October 23 in Yakima, following the PNW Pesticide Issues Conference, has been canceled. The meeting was canceled because projected attendance was insufficient to cover meeting costs. For more information on this subject, please contact me, Alan Schreiber, at 509-372-7324. I regret any inconvenience this may have caused anyone.

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Officially Unofficial

...Alan Schreiber

• Zeneca has settled with the Washington attorney general's office over a dispute involving prices charged for pesticides in the state. A portion of the settlement funds will be retained in the AG's office to cover the cost of pursuing actions against Zeneca. The remaining funds were provided to the Washington State Department of Agriculture and to Washington State University. The funds are slated for use on projects to help growers who may have been overcharged for pesticides. This settlement and a similar one with American Cyanamid do not end the efforts to pursue companies on charges of overpricing of pesticides; at least one other company is fighting similar claims.
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• The Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund (SCLDF), which calls itself "The Law Firm for the Environmental Movement," sent a letter to the director of the Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) on April 21, 1997. In the letter the SCLDF recommends that medical monitoring (cholinesterase testing) for farmworkers involved in mixing, loading, or applying pesticides be required in the state of Washington. L&I now has a voluntary program for cholinesterase testing and has no plans for making it mandatory. On June 19 the SCLDF stated that, unless L&I acted to make testing mandatory within 60 days, it would proceed with a lawsuit against the department. Again on July 19, the SCLDF reiterated its position to L&I that failure of the department to take action by August 19 would result in a lawsuit.

• The Washington State Commission on Pesticide Registration (WSCPR) recently released its fall 1997 Request for Proposals. The WSCPR has approximately $400,000 for proposals that deal with maintaining and obtaining pesticide registrations of interest to Washington (and by extension, Oregon and Idaho). In the past, grants have ranged in size from $2,000 to $25,000. The commission only accepts requests from pesticide user groups, but public and private researchers are encouraged to work with user groups to develop and submit proposals. For more information on submitting proposals to the WSCPR, contact Alan Schreiber, commission administrator, at 509-372-7324 or at aschreib@tricity.wsu.edu. The request for proposals and proposal format can be obtained by calling Alan Schreiber or visiting the WSCPR website at http://picol.cahe.wsu.edu. The next meeting of the WSCPR will be November 24 at the Hal Holmes Community Center in Ellensburg. Proposals should be submitted two to three weeks prior to that meeting.

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture in early September announced the creation of a new Office of Pest Management to serve as the focal point for USDA's pesticide regulatory issues.

The basic mission of USDA's new office is to respond to EPA's need for high quality pesticide data and to be responsive to the agricultural community in meeting critical needs that may develop as a result of the Food Quality Protection Act, Deputy Agriculture Secretary Richard Rominger said at a September 8 news briefing.

The new pesticide office will incorporate the work previously handled by USDA's National Agricultural Pesticide Impact Assessment Program, as well as other pesticide activities, Rominger said.

EPA Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances Lynn Goldman announced, jointly, that the agency has established a new "Minor Use Program Team." The team leader will report directly to the director of the Office of Pesticide Programs. Members of the team will include representatives from each of OPP's divisions: field and external affairs, information resources and management, biopesticides and pollution prevention, antimicrobials, special review and registration, environmental fate and effects, health effects, and biological and economic analysis.

Goldman said the new minor use team will focus on three goals: obtaining the best available pesticide usage data; increasing communications with the growers in the minor use community; and promoting the development of safer pesticides for minor uses by urging registrants to conduct research on minor use crops.

Steve Johnson, deputy director of OPP, told Pesticide and Toxic Chemical News that the agency will announce an acting team leader during the next two weeks and will set up a process to look for a permanent leader. "We'll be looking at a wide range of options, inside EPA and outside the agency" - including, possibly, a grower to fill the post, he added.

A "minor use" pesticide is generally defined as one used on a commercial agricultural crop with a total U.S. acreage of less than 300,000 acres. Minor use crops include many fruits, vegetables and ornamentals produced in the United States worth billions of dollars, EPA noted. There are several hundred minor use crops, including all crops except the following: almonds, apples, barley, beans (dry and snap), canola, corn (sweet and field), cotton, grapes, hay (alfalfa and other), oats, oranges, peanuts, pecans, popcorn, potatoes, rice, rye, sorghum, soybeans, sugar beets, sugarcane, sunflower, tobacco, tomatoes, turf, and wheat.

"Issues about minor uses are not minor, nor are they few," Goldman said, noting that 70% of the work of the OPP staff is related to minor uses.

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WSU sponsoring conference on FQPA,
other pesticide issues

The Washington State University Pesticide Education Program is sponsoring a day-long conference on pesticide issues to be held October 22, 1997, at the DoubleTree Inn in Yakima.

Registration is $45 per person. Lunch and beverages are included. On-site registrations are welcome if space is available. Further information about the conference and registration may be obtained from the Washington State University Pesticide Education Program, P.O. Box 646382, Pullman, WA 99164-6382; phone: 509-335-9204 or 335-9222; fax: 509-335-1009; E-mail: trokal@wsu.edu.

Persons with a disability requiring special accommodation while participating in this conference may call Lynda Troka at 509-335-9204. If accommodation is not requested in advance, there can be no guaranteed availability of accommodation on site.

Farm Employment in Washington

Source: Agricultural Employment in Washington State 1995

Washington State Employment Security

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Endocrine disruptor worries here to stay

 ...Allan Felsot

Last month's Agrichemical & Environmental News highlighted press stories of the public retraction of endocrine disruptor research conducted at Tulane University. From the press coverage, some might believe the Tulane University research representative of the entire issue and the subject of endocrine disruptors laid to rest. To paraphrase Mark Twain, however, news of the death of the endocrine disruptor scare is a bit premature.

Debate over chemicals that could potentially harm the endocrine system promises to be as lively as uncertainties about whether humans have caused global warming and whether action to prevent it, if even possible, is warranted. But there is a big difference. Endocrine disruption, as a risk factor, is now codified into law, namely the Safe Drinking Water Act, and more importantly for the agricultural community, the Food Quality Protection Act. Thus, on policy considerations alone, chemicals that interact with the multifaceted endocrine system - endocrine disruptors - have been elevated in regulatory opinion to the importance of chemicals causing cancer.

Indeed, close examination of the biochemistry of the endocrine system and a myriad of laboratory experiments on chemicals with hormone-like activity, have led me to conclude that the issue is the "bridge to the 21st century" for any advocacy group that wishes to see agricultural chemicals disappear. I've wondered a lot lately whether industry realizes what a potential mess it has gotten itself, and by association our farmers, into by its passive support of the FQPA last year. Nevertheless, the issue is here to stay, and it's time we start educating ourselves about it.

If we are ever to rationally discuss whether chemicals can disrupt the endocrine system, we must start from the basics. A useful model for understanding the endocrine system is to view it as part of a worldwide computer network. Computers are now linked to provide worldwide communication through the Internet. This interdependent network utilizes main computer servers or nodes at key places throughout the world. Your individual computer may communicate with a particular node that then sends messages from your computer to another node or directly to another computer. The receiving node or computer can give feedback to the sending node or computer, establishing a two-way interactive system of communication. Meanwhile, the individual computer initiating the message has within itself parts like the CPU (central processing unit), ROM (read-only memory), the hard disk, and the video screen that conduct two-way communication among themselves.

Think of the endocrine system as one node of a body internet that includes the nervous system and the immune system as the other nodes. Each of these nodes communicates within its own system and with each other. While computers within themselves and across the Internet communicate via a combination of electrical signals and telecommunication microwaves beamed to satellites and back, the body's internet communicates information across the nodes via a system of chemical messengers.

The chemical messengers of the endocrine system are called hormones. Ductless glands produce hormones and release (secrete) them directly into the blood stream. The most well known hormones are sex steroids like estrogen, produced by the ovaries, and testosterone, produced by the testes. Estrogen and testosterone are also produced in the adrenal glands associated with the kidneys of both sexes. Testosterone can be changed into estrogen by an enzyme called aromatase that is prevalent in brain cells. Thus, males have low levels of estrogen as well as testosterone in their blood. Other well-known hormones include those produced by the thyroid (thyroxin) and pancreas (insulin). The speed with which hormones can work, and an indication of their ability to communicate with the brain, is illustrated by how fast one flinches upon seeing an oncoming object. This behavior is mediated by the hormone adrenaline, produced in the adrenal glands and in the brain.

In the nervous system, the messengers are called neurotransmitters. These are released at the endings or junctions between nerves or between nerves and muscle or glands. These junctions are actually very tiny physical spaces into which chemical messengers are released. For example, acetylcholine is a chemical released at nerve endings that permits an electrical nervous impulse traveling across the fibers of a nerve to be transmitted to an adjacent nerve, where a new electrical signal is propagated. An intimate connection between the nervous and endocrine systems is made through the communication of neurotransmitters with the hypothalamus and pituitary, two endocrine glands in the brain. When stimulated, these glands release hormones that circulate throughout the body to affect other organs, including the sex glands.

The thymus gland, lying near the heart, is the master controller of the immune system; it regulates production of the myriad immune cells and antibodies. Certain immune cells produce hormones called cytokines that can interact with the brain. In response, the brain may produce hormones that affect other glands and organs, including the thymus.

From the blood, hormones interact with cells by binding to special proteins called receptors. Many organs and glands contain receptors for one or more hormones. Receptors are located in membranes on the outer cell surfaces or on the nucleus. The nucleus of the cell contains all the genetic information, which is stored in the DNA, the information-containing biochemical polymers comprising the genes. The chemical messenger binds with the receptor like a key in a lock. When enough receptors are bound by the messenger, the lock is opened and a signal is transferred to the DNA. The DNA is "awakened", setting in motion a chain of events that causes the genes to produce proteins necessary for proper functioning of the individual cells, tissues, and organs. Translation of the message by target cells results in physiological reactions ultimately responsible for stimulating, regulating, and maintaining proper metabolism, development, growth, reproduction, and behavior.

The hormones stimulate physiological responses at incredibly minuscule concentrations. For example, estrogen can stimulate growth of cells at levels equivalent to parts per trillion. Furthermore, the timing of the messages is crucial to normal development, especially in fetal development. The right amount of hormone must be present at the right time for a male or female to develop normally. Studies with mice have shown that higher than normal amounts of estrogen at the wrong time during pregnancy can cause genetic males to behave more like females, and in some cases to develop female-like genitals.

Hormone concentration and timing is crucial not only to sexual development, but also to normal development of the brain. A malfunctioning endocrine system during fetal or infant development could potentially alter the proper functioning of the immune system in later adult life. In short, the endocrine system and its interactions with the brain and immune system are exquisitely balanced and timed.

The various hormones function like keys for specific receptors by virtue of their three-dimensional molecular structure. Unfortunately, the receptors can also be activated by chemicals whose molecular structure mimics the natural hormones. Chemicals with this ability - endocrine disruptors - can act in a variety of ways as indicated by EPA's working definition: endocrine disruptors "interfere with the synthesis, secretion, transport, binding, action, or elimination of natural hormones in the body that are responsible for the maintenance of homeostasis [normal cell metabolism], reproduction, development, and/or behavior." The list of chemicals with endocrine disrupting potential is growing but generally contains various pesticides, persistent chlorinated organics like PCBs and dioxins, plasticizers, surfactants, and heavy metals. But the list also includes natural biochemicals: mycotoxins produced by fungi and chemicals produced by fruit and vegetables (called phytoestrogens).

EPA's definition of an endocrine disruptor covers a wide array of possible effects. A discussion of the concerns can be found in the EPA special report, "Environmental Endocrine Disruption: An Effects Assessment and Analysis." Most media attention has focused on chemicals acting like estrogen, but this is only one mode of action. More important are the potential endpoints or diseases in humans: breast cancer and endometriosis in women, testicular and prostate cancers in men, abnormal sexual development, reduced male fertility, alteration in pituitary and thyroid gland functions, immune suppression, and neurobehavior effects.

While many of these adverse effects in humans are only hypothesized as being associated with endocrine disruptors, some scientists argue that enough evidence has accumulated to conclude a cause and effect relationship between endocrine disruptors and disease in wildlife. Adverse effects include abnormal thyroid function and development in fish and birds; decreased fertility in shellfish, fish, birds, and mammals; decreased hatching success in fish, birds, and reptiles; demasculinization and feminization of fish, birds, reptiles, and mammals; defeminization and masculinization of gastropods, fish, and birds; decreased offspring survival; and alteration of immune and behavioral function in birds and mammals.

In past essays, I have written about the use of extremely high dosing required by the EPA for tests of carcinogenic potential of pesticides, and I have questioned the validity of the results for assessing the effects of exposure to the very tiny environmental concentrations. I am ready to make similar conclusions about the applicability of endocrine disruptor screening to real world exposures. The current laboratory testing procedures for endocrine disruptors do show that certain chemicals can activate the estrogen receptor or block activation of the testosterone receptor. However, the doses required to show these effects in a test-tube type experiment are thousands to millions of times greater than for the natural hormones. Such observations suggest that environmental concentrations of the "endocrine disruptors" may be irrelevant to production of a biological effect.

Endocrine disrupting potential of pesticides like DDT has been tested by directly feeding such compounds to rats. Adverse effects on sexual development have been reported, but the dosing rate was millions of times greater than what humans are normally exposed to in food. Thus, with regard to testing methodology, endocrine disruptors seem to be in the same boat as carcinogens.

Research reported by Tulane University in 1996 suggested that perhaps very low doses of endocrine disruptors were physiologically important. The researchers purportedly showed that two or more chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides administered together could have a synergistic endocrine disruptive action at doses a thousand-fold lower than the doses causing the same activity when alone. When dieldrin and endosulfan were dosed together at levels equivalent to parts per billion, an estrogenic effect was observed; when given alone, parts per million were required to produce the same effect. However, no other laboratory was able to duplicate the results of the synergism experiment, and finally the researchers at Tulane themselves admitted they could not repeat their own observations.

Nevertheless, Tulane's retraction has not quieted the storm. Regardless of whether synergistic interactions occur at low doses, scientists still have shown that doses of two or more chemicals can be additive, albeit the concentrations necessary for an effect are extremely high. Perhaps stronger cases for widespread problems linked to endocrine disruptors will be made when the dosing becomes more realistic and thresholds for effects are determined.

Meanwhile, the FQPA required EPA to certify screening tests for endocrine disruptors within three years of the act's passage. Eventually, all pesticides will be subjected to the approved battery of tests. EPA has two more years to meet the FQPA-mandated deadline. Regardless of whether EPA meets the FQPA deadline, worries about endocrine disruptors are not going away.

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Pesticide training courses scheduled

The 1997-1998 Pesticide Training courses coordinated by Carol Ramsay and Carrie Foss are scheduled. Brochures go to press September 19 and will be in the mail by October 14 to all county offices and licensed pesticide applicators. Those interested in information prior to receiving the brochures may contact one of the individuals listed below. Registration fees for WSU employees are reduced for EARLY registrations ($20/day instead of $30/day).

Contacts:

CE Pesticide Conferences, pest@cahe.wsu.edu, 509-335-2830
Carol Ramsay, ramsay@wsu.edu, 509-335-9222
Carrie Foss, cfoss@wsu.edu, 253-445-4577
Lynda Troka, trokal@wsu.edu, 509-335-9204

There are several changes and new program locations:

New Recertification:

RECERTIFICATION web site: http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~ramsay/wsurec.html

PRE-LICENSE web site: http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~ramsay/wsuplt.html

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1. Must be multiple rinsed, so that no residues remain.
2. Must be clean and dry inside and out, with no apparent odor.
3. Hard plastic lids and slip-on lids must be removed.
4. Glue-on labels may remain.
5. The majority of the foil seal must be removed from the spout. A small amount of foil remaining on the container rims is acceptable.
6. Half pint, pint, quart, one and two-and-a half-gallon containers will be accepted whole.
7. Five-gallon containers will be accepted whole, if the lids and bails are removed.
8. Special arrangements must be made for 30-gallon and 55-gallon containers, by calling (509) 457-3850 prior to the collection.

**Containers that do not meet the above specifications cannot be accepted.**

Washington Pest Consultants Association
Container Collection Dates

Please put these dates on your calendars and help notify pesticide users of the program, so that containers do not become a waste issue. Taking time to clean and recycle these reusable products can save money and prove that the industry is responsible in its use of pesticides.

For more information about plastic pesticide container collection, contact:

Steve George, WPCA Recycling Coordinator,
31 High Valley View St. Yakima, WA 98901
(509) 457-3850 or point your
World Wide Web browser to
http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~Ramsay/wpca.html

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PNN Update

The information contained here is not to be construed as a substitute for obtaining and reading product labels. Always read the label before applying a pesticide.

The Pesticide Notification Network is operated by the Washington State University Pesticide Information Center for the Washington State Commission on Pesticide Registration. The PNN system is designed to distribute pesticide registration and label change information to groups representing Washington's pesticide users. The information below (with the exception of the tolerance data) is a summary of what has been distributed on the PNN within the past month.

The Pesticide Information Center (PIC) operates the Pesticide Information Center On-Line (PICOL) web page. This provides a label database, status on registrations, and information on related issues. PICOL can be accessed on the Internet at http://picol.cahe.wsu.edu. The PIC office phone number is (509) 372-7492.

• WSDA has granted a new registration to Nor-Am Chemical for the insecticide Phaser 50WSB. The product is registered for use on alfalfa, apple, apricot, artichoke, barley, blueberry, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, cherry, collard, cucumber, eggplant, filbert, grape, greenhouse tomato, kale, lettuce, melon, mustard, nectarine, nursery, oat, ornamental, pea seed, peach, pear, pepper, plum/prune, potato, pumpkin, rye, safflower, spinach, strawberry, sugar beet, squash, sunflower, sweet corn, sweet potato, tomato, walnut, and wheat.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Huge for the insecticide Excelcide Space Spray. The product is registered for use in grain storage buildings.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Platte Chemical for the plant growth regulator Shelf Life 2EC. The product is registered for use on post harvest potatoes.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Platte Chemical for the herbicide Broclean. The product is registered for use on alfalfa seed, barley, conservation reserve program lands, corn, flax, garlic, grass seed, mint, oat, onion, popcorn, rye, sorghum, triticale, turf, and wheat.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Platte Chemical for the herbicide Bromac. The product is registered for use on barley, conservation reserve program lands, grass seed, oat, rye, and wheat.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Bayer Chemical for the insecticide Tempo 20WP Golf Course. The product is registered for golf course, lawn, and turf use.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Drexel Chemical for the fungicide KOP Hydroxide. The product is registered for use on alfalfa, apple, apricot, barley, bean, blackberry, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cherry, cranberry, cucumber, currant, eggplant, filbert, gooseberry, grape, hop, lettuce, loganberry, melon, nectarine, onion, pea, peach, pear, pepper, potato, pumpkin, squash, strawberry, sugar beet, tomato, and wheat.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Bayer Chemical for the fungicide Bayleton 50 Turf & Ornamental Fungicide in WSP. The product is registered for use on the following sites: deciduous/shade tree, flower, ornamental tree, shrub, and turf.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Nor-AM Chemical for the herbicide Progress. The product is registered for use on sugarbeet.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Nor-AM Chemical for Liberty Herbicide. The product is registered for use on field corn and silage.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Monsanto for the herbicide Mon 58240. The product is registered for use on corn seed, field corn, popcorn, and silage.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Monsanto for the herbicide Partner Custom Blend WDG Herbicide. The product is registered for use on corn, dry bean, lima bean, ornamental tree, and shrub.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Monsanto for the plant growth regulator Genesis Hybridizing Agent. The product is registered for use on wheat.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Rhone Poulenc for the fungicide Aliette WSP. The product is registered for use on the following sites: apple, asparagus, blackberry, blueberry, broccoli, Brussels sprout, cabbage, caneberries, cauliflower, celery, Chinese broccoli, Chinese cabbage, collard, crabapple, cucumber, dandelion, dry bulb onion, endive, fennel, ginseng, hop, kale, kohlrabi, leafy vegetable, lettuce, loganberry, muskmelon, mustard, non-bearing apple, non-bearing apricot, non-bearing cherry, non-bearing crabapple, non-bearing nectarine, non-bearing peach, non-bearing pear, non-bearing plum, non-bearing prune, non-bearing quince, parsley, pear, pumpkin, quince, rape, raspberry, rhubarb, spinach, squash, strawberry, Swiss chard, tomato, and watermelon.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Rhone Poulenc for the herbicide Chipco Ronstar 50 WSP. The product is registered for use on conifer nursery, ornamental tree, shrub, and turf.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Or-Cal for the plant growth regulator NAA 200. The product is registered for use on apples and pears.
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• WSDA has issued a new registration to Gowan Co. for the insecticide Lorsban 50-W. The product is registered for use on the following sites: apple, broccoli, Brussels sprout, cabbage, cauliflower, cherry, collard, filbert, kale, kohlrabi, and walnut.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Clarke Mosquito Control Products for the insecticide Permethrin 10 EC. The product is registered for use on the following PNN-related sites: dairy building, grain storage building, non-dairy livestock building, and poultry building/yard.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Albaugh Inc. for the herbicide Butyrac 200 and 800. These products are registered for use on alfalfa, clover, and conservation reserve program lands.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Western Farm Services for the fungicide First Choice Copper-Count-N. The product is registered for use on the following sites: broccoli, Brussels sprout, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrot, cauliflower, celery, cranberry, cucumber, dry bean, eggplant, filbert, grape, green bean, melon, nectarine, onion, peach, pear, pepper, potato, spinach, squash, strawberry, sugarbeet, tomato, and walnut.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Y-Tex Corporation for the insecticide Goldstar 40% EC. The product is registered for use on the following sites: cattle (beef and dairy), dairy building, goat, horse, non-dairy livestock building, poultry, poultry building/yard, sheep, and swine.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Albaugh for the herbicide MCPA Amine 4. The product is registered for use on the following sites: alfalfa, barley, flax, grass seed, green pea, oat, pasture, rangeland, clover, rye, and wheat.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Albaugh for the herbicide MCPA Ester 4. The product is registered for use on the following sites: barley, flax, grass seed, oat, rye, and wheat.
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• WSDA has issued a registration to Scotts/Sierra for the fungicide Zyban WSB. The product is labeled for ornamental and turf use.
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• WSDA has issued a registration to Zeneca for the insecticide Pirimor 50-DF. The product is labeled for use on alfalfa seed crops.
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• WSDA has granted a registration to Zeneca for the herbicide Zeneca Reward Landscape and Aquatic Herbicide. The product is labeled for use on the following sites: aquatic, bulb, ditch bank, flower seed crop, and turf.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Zeneca for the product Fultime Herbicide. The product is registered for use on the following sites: corn seed crop, field corn, popcorn, silage.
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• WSDA has granted a new registration to Zeneca for the fungicide Heritage. The product is registered for use on turf and golf course.

• On July 28, 1997, WSDA canceled SLN registration WA940033, which had allowed for the use of the insecticide Brigade WSP to control black vine weevil in hops. The Section 24(c) registration was canceled at the request of the manufacturer. Cancellation was initiated because the use had been added to the Section 3 label.
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• In the August 27, 1997, Federal Register, EPA announced that it had received a request from Platte to voluntarily cancel SLN registration WA960026. This SLN had previously been issued for the use of Platte's insecticide Dimethoate 400 on cherries. Unless the request is withdrawn by February 23, 1998, EPA will cancel this registration.

• On August 12, 1997, WSDA issued a revision to SLN registration WA950037. This registration had previously been granted for the use of Weedar 64 Broadleaf Herbicide on poplar and cottonwood trees grown for pulp production. The revision includes the removal of the Washington state expiration date statement.
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• On August 12, 1997, WSDA issued a revision to SLN registration WA960027. This registration had previously been granted for the use of Rovral 4 Flowable Fungicide on crucifer crops grown for seed. The revision includes the removal of the Washington state expiration date statement.
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• On August 20, 1997, WSDA issued a revision to SLN registration WA950039. This registration had previously been granted for the use of the fungicide Deccoquin to control scald on d'Anjou pears. The revision includes the removal of the Washington state expiration date statement.

• Sandoz has added alfalfa to the label for its herbicide Zorial Rapid 80.
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• ISK Biosciences has added potato to the label for its fungicide Bravo C/M.
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• Rohm and Haas has revised the label for its fungicide Dithane M-45 to include use on triticale.
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• Rohm and Haas has revised the label for its fungicide Eagle WSP to include use on ornamentals.
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• Rohm and Haas has revised the label for its miticide Kelthane T/O to include use on apple, pear, crabapple, and quince.
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• Rohm and Haas has revised the label for its fungicide Rally 40W to include use on trees grown for pulp and nursery (hybrid poplar, Douglas fir, and loblolly pine).
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• Gowan Company has revised the label for its insecticide Metasystox-R to include Christmas tree and nursery use. These uses are currently allowed under SLN registration WA950005.
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• Rhone -Poulenc has revised the label for its insecticide Sevin RP2 to include use on chestnut, crabapple, lentil, and flowers. The label change also deleted uses on lima bean, blackeyed pea, field corn, and popcorn.
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• Rhone-Poulenc has revised the labels for its insecticides Sevin 80S and Sevin XLR to delete use on quince.
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• Rhone-Poulenc has revised the label for its herbicide Weedone Lo Vol 6 to add use on grass seed crops.
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• Zeneca has added directions to the label for its herbicide Gramoxone Extra for fallow applications in wheat rotations.
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• Zeneca has revised the label for it insecticide Warrior. The revised label adds chemigation instructions and adds field corn, sweet corn, popcorn, seed corn, sunflower, wheat, and triticale to the list of registered usage sites.
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• Zeneca has revised the label for its herbicide Fusilade DX, adding chemigation instructions. This product is registered on the following sites: asparagus, carrot, carrot seed crop, Christmas tree plantation, conifer nursery, dry bulb onion, endive, fencerow, garlic, non-bearing apple, non-bearing asparagus, non-bearing berry, non-bearing filbert, non-bearing grape, non-bearing pear, non-bearing walnut, orchard floor, and sweet potato.
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• Zeneca has revised the label for the herbicide Touchdown to add aerial application instructions. This product is registered for use on the following sites: non-bearing apple, non-bearing apricot, non-bearing asparagus, non-bearing berry, non-bearing blueberry, non-bearing crabapple, non-bearing cranberry, non-bearing filbert, non-bearing grape, non-bearing nectarine, non-bearing peach, non-bearing pear, and non-bearing walnut.
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• PBI/Gordon Corp. has dropped the following usage sites from its label for Pre-San Granular 12.5G herbicide: daffodil, dahlia, freesia, gladiola, narcissus, tulip, and zinnia.

• In the August 27, 1997 Federal Register, EPA announced that it had received a request from Wilbur-Ellis to delete the following uses from the registration for its insecticide Sevin 5 Dust: filbert, apple, cherry, peach, pear and plum/prune. Unless this request is withdrawn, EPA will approve these use deletions and they will become effective February 23, 1998. Anyone desiring the retention of these uses should contact Wilbur-Ellis.
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• In the August 27, 1997 Federal Register, EPA announced that it had received a request from AgrEvo to delete tree uses from the registration for its insecticide Fords Sevin 5% Dust. Unless this request is withdrawn, EPA will approve these use deletions and they will become effective February 23, 1998. Anyone desiring the retention of these uses should contact AgrEvo.
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• In the August 27, 1997 Federal Register, EPA announced that it had received a request from Valent to delete rangeland use (used for horn fly control on range cattle) from the registration for its insecticide Dibrom Concentrate. Unless this request is withdrawn, EPA will approve these use deletions and they will become effective February 23, 1998. Anyone desiring the retention of these uses should contact Valent.

• In the August 27, 1997, Federal Register, EPA announced again that it had received a request from the manufacturer to voluntarily cancel the registration for the herbicide Caparol Accu-Pak. This product is currently registered for use on celery. Unless the request is withdrawn by February 23, 1998, EPA will cancel this registration.
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• In the August 27, 1997, Federal Register, EPA announced that it had received a request from the manufacturer to voluntarily cancel the registration for the insecticide Morestan 25% WP. This product is currently registered for use on apple, apricot post harvest, non-bearing apple, non-bearing apricot, non-bearing cherry, non-bearing nectarine, non-bearing peach, non-bearing pear, non-bearing plum, non-bearing prune, non-bearing strawberry, pear and walnut. Unless the request is withdrawn by February 23, 1998, EPA will cancel this registration.
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• In the August 27, 1997, Federal Register, EPA announced that it had received a request from the manufacturer to voluntarily cancel the registration for the insecticide Morestan Solupak 25% WP. This product is currently registered for use on apple, apple post harvest, apricot post harvest, non-bearing apple, non-bearing apricot, non-bearing nectarine, non-bearing peach, non-bearing plum, non-bearing prune, strawberry, pear post harvest, pear and walnut. Unless the request is withdrawn by February 23, 1998, EPA will cancel this registration.
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• In the August 27, 1997, Federal Register, EPA announced that it had received a request from the manufacturer to voluntarily cancel the registration for the insecticide KRS Spray Foam Insecticide with Co-Ral. This product is currently registered for use on cattle, goat, horse and sheep. Unless the request is withdrawn by February 23, 1998, EPA will cancel this registration.
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• In the August 27, 1997, Federal Register, EPA announced that it had received a request from the manufacturer to voluntarily cancel the registration for the insecticide Mitac WP. This product is currently registered for use on pears. Unless the request is withdrawn by February 23, 1998, EPA will cancel this registration. NOTE: This proposed product cancellation was previously also announced in the June 27 Federal Register and is a cancellation notification for Mitac WP only. The registration status for Mitac W is not affected.

• On August 28, 1997, WSDA issued a Section 18 crisis exemption for the use of Rally 40W to control powdery mildew on strawberries. This crisis exemption expires October 31, 1997.

The following tolerances were granted by EPA since the last report (August 1997). These data do not mean that labels have been registered for these uses. These pesticides must not be used until labels are registered with EPA or a state department of agriculture.

*Key

Tolerance Revocations

EPA is proposing the revocation of tolerance for the use of the fungicide vinclozolin for succulent beans (2.0 ppm) on October 1, 1999. For further information, contact Mark Wilhite at (703) 308-8586 or E-mail wilhite.mark@epamail.epa.gov.

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Contributors to the Agrichemical and Environmental News:

Alan Schreiber, Allan Felsot, Catherine Daniels, Mark Antone, Eric Bechtel, Jane Thomas

Contributions, comments and subscription inquiries may be directed to: Dr. Catherine Daniels, Food and Environmental Quality Laboratory, Washington State University, 2710 University Drive, Richland, WA 99352-1671, ph: 509-372-7495, fax: 509-372-7491, E-mail: cdaniels@tricity.wsu.edu

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