EPA Considering 10 Pesticides for Hemp
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced the receipt of 10 pesticide applications to expand their use on hemp. The 10 requests are the result of the December 2018 Farm Bill provisions that removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, legalizing hemp for commercial use and production.
“EPA is taking the next step toward registering crop protection tools for hemp in time for use during the 2020 application and growing seasons,” said Andrew Wheeler, EPA administrator. “The agency is announcing a 30-day public comment period on 10 existing pesticide product applications for industrial hemp. we hope this transparent and public process will bring hemp farmers and researchers increased regulatory clarity for next growing season — something they have asked for since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill and the legalization of commercial hemp.”
“Today’s announcement is a welcome first step on the path to registration of safe and effective crop protection agents for a rapidly expanding hemp enterprise,” said Bob Pearce, hemp researcher at the University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “My colleagues and I have already identified a number of weeds, insects and plant diseases that pose a potential threat to economically viable hemp production. We will work closely with EPA to identify and evaluate best management practices for the use of crop protection agents to help control pests in hemp crops.”
To ensure transparency and improve EPA’s process for considering pest management tools for the emerging American hemp industry, EPA is seeking public comment on these applications. The list of pesticides can be found in the Federal Register notice. Comments are due 30 days after the notice publishes in the Federal Register.
Once public comments are received, EPA anticipates deciding about the possible use of the specified products on hemp before the end of 2019 to help growers make informed purchasing choices for the upcoming growing season. Moving forward, EPA will review, approve or deny applications for use on hemp as the agency would for any other use site.
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