Release Date: March 8, 2021
Contact: Kevin Hoffman, Public Information Officer, (608) 224-5005, kevin.hoffman@wisconsin.gov
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MADISON – The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is accepting comments through March 15 for a proposed special pesticide registration to allow potato growers to use Linex® 4L herbicide for weed control. The registration would help potato growers control broadleaf weeds, especially common ragweed and Eastern black nightshade. These weeds have become a problem in Wisconsin potato production in recent years, particularly in the Central Sands area where pesticide options are limited. Nightshade also produces poisonous berries that present a hazard in harvesting a food crop.
Linex® 4L is registered for use in potatoes and other crops in Wisconsin, but not in sandy soils; that is why a special registration is necessary. The special registration will impose restrictions on where Linex® 4L may be applied when depth to groundwater is less than 30 feet, depending on the amount of organic matter in the soil.
The previous registration for Linex® 4L expired December 31, 2020, for use on potatoes, pre-emergence, as a five-year permit. No reports of adverse effects were received during the previous registration. The proposed registration will go through December 31, 2025. Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc., is the manufacturer, and the active ingredient is linuron.
The preliminary environmental assessment indicates that the proposed registration will not require a full environmental assessment. For a copy of the assessment, contact:
Alyssa Foss, DATCP
P.O. Box 8911
Madison, WI, 53708-8911
(608) 224-4547
alyssa.foss@wisconsin.gov
Comments received on or before 4:30 p.m. on Monday, March 15, will become part of the preliminary environmental assessment record.
How to Submit Comments
Submit comments to Alyssa Foss by mail at the above postal address or email at alyssa.foss@wisconsin.gov.
More Information
The special registration process allows states to register additional uses of pesticide products other than those listed on their labels, without prior federal approval. It helps growers address local pest problems that cannot be adequately controlled by any available federally registered product. These problems include insect outbreaks, fungal diseases, and grasses and weeds that outcompete crops. For more information visit https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/SpecialPesticideRegistrations.aspx.
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