By Jamie Martin
The Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) has recently praised the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its revised herbicide strategy, which now includes drift reduction adjuvants (DRAs) to help protect endangered species. This update comes after the EPA considered over a thousand comments from stakeholders like WSSA and various agricultural and environmental groups.
Greg Dahl, President of WSSA, expressed satisfaction with the EPA’s decision, noting that DRAs are among the most effective tools for minimizing herbicide drift—a primary concern for endangered species protection.
The new strategy allows for reduced buffer distances, enhancing flexibility for land managers and farmers while maintaining safety standards.
Key features of the EPA’s strategy involve three main mitigation efforts: addressing spray drift, controlling runoff and erosion, and protecting specific geographic locations critical to endangered species.
The inclusion of DRAs is particularly significant because it directly tackles the issue of spray drift, allowing for a 15 to 30 percent reduction in buffer zones.
The EPA has developed additional training materials and guides to aid applicators in understanding and complying with these new regulations. This will ensure that the necessary precautions are taken to protect both the environment and agricultural productivity.
The updated measures are expected to be phased into pesticide labels over the next 15 years, marking a significant step forward in balancing agricultural practices with environmental conservation.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-fertnig
Categories: National