Last November, the EPA cancelled the registration of the pesticide sulfoxaflor, a step required by a U.S. appeals court decision. However, the agency has now granted an emergency exemption sought by the Texas Department of Agriculture for use of sulfoxaflor this year against the sugarcane aphid on up to 3 million acres of sorghum, said Agri-Pulse.
With Kansas, Texas is one of the two largest sorghum-growing states. Texas officials requested the exemption last Dec. 7, almost a month after EPA barred the sale of sulfoxaflor products.
“In authorizing the emergency use, EPA imposed new restrictions designed to prevent exposure to bees,” said Agri-Pulse. The restrictions preclude use of the pesticide while sorghum plants are in bloom or during windy days. The appellate court ruling last year said the EPA had not adequately studied the impact of sulfoxaflor on honeybees.Texas requested an exemption for the sulfoxaflor pesticide Transform WG made by Dow Agrosciences.