The EPA recently reminded growers and pesticide applicators in the region to pay attention to label requirements when applying pesticides to crops near harvest time.

“All pesticide label instructions need to be followed and it’s especially important that pesticides are applied the proper number of days before harvest,” said Jamie Green, chief of EPA’s Region 7 Toxics and Pesticides Branch in Kansas City. “EPA and our state regulatory partners want to avoid a repeat of the situation faced by a number of Kansas and Nebraska wheat growers in 2008.”

According to the Agency, growers and pesticide applicators may be held responsible for assuring compliance with preharvest intervals and other postapplication requirements. The waiting period, listed as a preharvest interval on pesticide labels, is the minimum number of days a grower must wait before harvesting a treated crop.

INFO: Contact Royan Teter at 913-551-7609.