May Update for Board of Pesticides Control

Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry sent this bulletin at 05/26/2026 09:19 AM EDT

View as a webpage  /  ShareBoard of Pesticides ControlBoard of Pesticides Control UpdateStay up to date with the latest from the Board of Pesticides Control. This update covers everything you need to know about upcoming meetings, new rules, and important reminders to keep you and your community safe. We’re here to keep you informed, and we’d like to hear your thoughts—drop us an email anytime at pesticides@maine.gov.In this Update:Upcoming Board MeetingsProduct Registration InformationBPC Reminders and UpdatesToxicology CornerEnforcement ReminderEPA Seeks Public Comment on Draft Strategy to Better Protect Endangered SpeciesUpcoming Board MeetingsThe next Board Meeting is June 5, 2026 it will be hybrid at the Deering Building in Room 101 in Augusta, ME 04330, and on Microsoft Teams. The meeting starts at 9:00 AM. For more information, visit the Board Meetings Page.Product Registration InformationThe BPC maintains a list of registered products on the front page of its website. For a list of the current Maine registrations.New SLN RegistrationAt an emergency meeting on Monday May 11, 2026 the Board of Pesticides Control approved a Section 24(c) Special Local Need (SLN) registration for the use of Dual Magnum (EPA Registration #100-816) to control yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentis) and hairy galinsoge (Galinsoga cilita) affecting highbush blueberry, brassica leafy greens, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cane berries (blackberry, red raspberry, black raspberry), cauliflower, cucumber, garlic, lettuce (head and leaf), and melons (cantaloupe, muskmelon, watermelon). Dual Magnum is an herbicide manufactured with the active ingredient S-metolachlor (83.7%). This Special Local Need was requested due to a lack of effective herbicides for these crops and weed combinations. The requested SLN will remain active until December 31, 2030.This registration was first presented to the Board in 2014 and was renewed in 2020. The list of crops on the 2026 Dual Magnum SLN label has changed. Please visit the BPC website 24(c) webpage for the SLN label, which you will need to review and have on hand if you plan to use this Section 24(c) permit.Notice: Special Local Need 24(c) registrations allow for additional uses beyond the EPA approved master labels. Due to the potential for crop damage, diminished yield, and possible crop loss when Dual Magnum is applied in a way not specified on the Section 3 label, a waiver is required by Syngenta for use. Waivers can be found on Syngenta’s website.For questions regarding the SLN registration for Dual Magnum (SLN ME-140002) or other Section 24(c) permits, contact the BPC Registrar & Water Quality Specialist: Julia Vacchiano, 207-592-3278 at julia.vacchiano@maine.gov.BPC Reminders and UpdatesBPC Monthly Update SurveyWe want to hear from you! Please take a moment to complete this survey and share helpful insights on what industry professionals and interested parties would like to read about in the updates. The survey is anonymous, and the answers will inform BPC on how to make the updates more engaging and useful for readers. You can take the survey now via Microsoft Forms.Invasive SpeciesBPC has received an increase in calls related to controlling Japanese Knotweed. The Maine Natural Areas Program webpage and the GotPests webpage have resources for individuals managing or treating Knotweed. The New Hampshire Department of Agriculture also has resources on Preventing the Spread of Japanese Knotweed. Anyone with questions or concerns about treating Japanese Knotweed can contact the BPC at pesticides@maine.gov or 207-287-2731.Toxicology CornerLast month, the EPA announced that it approved CarriCea T1, a novel orange-tree rootstock that was genetically engineered to be resistant against the pathogen that causes the disease known as citrus greening. The development and approval of the product was motivated by the decimation of the citrus industry in Florida caused by the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. Citrus yield has decreased 95% since its peak in 2005, and this product is intended to maintain food security and boost the local economy. The pathogen attacks the phloem [the sugar-transporting vessels] in orange trees. Once infected, orange trees are helpless and succumb to the disease. That is until now.CarriCea T1 contains a plant incorporated protectant (PIP). This means that the tree’s DNA has been modified and incorporated into the plant to protect itself from the pathogen. Therefore, a PIP is not a conventional pesticide that is applied via spraying. Still, CarriCea T1 is registered as a pesticide and regulated by FIFRA, and must go through EPA review and registration. The EPA Human Health Risk Assessment deemed that CarriCea T1 is practically non-toxic because the “likelihood for hazard is expected to be negligible.” Additionally, the EPA Environmental Risk Assessment viewed CarriCea T1 favorably, citing “negligible hazard” and “negligible exposure” to non-target species [and therefore extremely low risk]. This assessment includes pollinators, because the genetically modified DNA is localized to the rootstock and will not be present in pollen.USDA also reviewed CarriCea T1 to determine if there was a plant pest risk. The agency deemed that the novel product did not have elevated risk compared to oranges that were not genetically engineered. Therefore, it is not subject to regulation under 7 CFR Part 340; this is the code that governs the release of genetically engineered organisms that might present a risk in the USA.In summary, CarriCea T1 contains a PIP that used molecular techniques to genetically alter the orange tree’s DNA; no human health and environmental risks are anticipated from the consumption of this crop. Next month’s Tox Talk will discuss whether or not CarriCea T1 is a genetically modified organism (GMO).CitationsAPHIS Issues Regulatory Status Review Responses (SoilCea, Pioneer) | Animal and Plant Health Inspection ServiceNew Citrus Tool to Help Prevent Widespread Loss of Citrus Crops and Support America’s Food Supply | US EPAEPA Docket: EPA-HQ-OPP-2025-0211-0006EPA Docket: EPA-HQ-OPP-2025-0211-0005Enforcement ReminderThe BPC enforcement team would like to remind pesticide applicators about their obligation to prevent exposure to people, pets and livestock. When using powered equipment to apply pesticides, BPC rules Chapter 22, Section 2D says the following:“Presence of Humans, AnimalsPesticide applications shall be undertaken in a manner which minimizes exposure to humans, livestock and domestic animals.The applicator shall cease spray activities at once upon finding evidence showing the likely presence of unprotected persons in the target area or in such proximity as to result in unconsented exposure to pesticides.”Please see Chapter 22: Standards for Outdoor Application of Pesticides by Powered Equipment in Order to Minimize Off-Target Deposition for full details, exemptions, and many other important requirements for the use of powered equipment in outdoor settings. EPA Seeks Public Comment on Draft Strategy to Better Protect Endangered SpeciesU.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its draft Fungicide Strategy and is inviting the American public to weigh in.The draft Strategy identifies practical, science-based protections that fungicide users can adopt to safeguard more than 1,000 federally endangered and threatened species, while preserving the flexibility states, growers, and applicators need to keep American agriculture strong. It reflects EPA’s commitment to meeting its obligations under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) through a more efficient, transparent, and protective approach to pesticide registration.Protecting American families is a top priority for EPA. Every approved pesticide must undergo gold-standard scientific safety evaluations and pose no health risks of concern when used as directed. EPA will continue to review the latest available science to ensure its regulatory decisions are rooted in the most robust universe of data possible.American farmers are the lifeblood of our economy and our nation’s food supply. They need a diverse toolbox of innovative agricultural technologies to manage crop disease, prevent resistance, and produce the affordable, nutritious food that feeds our country. The draft Fungicide Strategy is designed to ensure those innovative tools remain available and that they are used in ways that protect the environment and endangered species.Consistent with the Trump Administration’s commitment to radical transparency, EPA is opening this draft Strategy to a 60-day public comment period and will host a public webinar to walk stakeholders through the proposal and take questions. EPA wants to hear from farmers, applicators, scientists, conservation groups, state partners, Tribal partners, and members of the public before any decisions are finalized.What the Draft Strategy DoesUses a three-step framework to (1) identify potential population-level impacts to listed species, (2) identify mitigation measures, and (3) determine where those mitigations should apply.Informs EPA’s registration and registration review decisions for conventional agricultural fungicides in the lower 48 states, where approximately 41 million acres are treated annually.Considers where listed species live, what they need (such as food sources or pollinators), where fungicides may move in the environment, and potential effects on non-target species.Guides mitigations that EPA will propose in future regulatory actions, with public input on each action before any decision is finalized. Does not itself impose requirements.Provides flexibilities to states and growers and emphasizes ongoing collaboration with federal, state, and Tribal partners to deliver effective, tailored protections.Updates options for reducing spray drift buffer distances, including expanding spray drift adjuvants as a mitigation option to insecticides and fungicides and adding guar gum as an additional adjuvant type.The draft Fungicide Strategy builds directly on EPA’s final Herbicide and Insecticide Strategies, incorporating lessons learned and public comments received on those earlier efforts. The result is a draft that offers greater flexibility for growers, offers easier implementation for applicators, and bolsters continued strong protections for federally listed endangered species.How to ParticipatePublic comment: The draft Fungicide Strategy and supporting documents are available in docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2026-2973 for a 60-day comment period closing on June 29, 2026. Submit comments at regulations.gov.Maine State Government is an equal opportunity provider and employer.  Manage Preferences & Unsubscribe | Help | Credits | Contact Us

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