TPI also worked with sports field managers to address their concerns about losing oxadiazon in sports fields, as that was part of the initial recommendation. EPA thanks these individuals and institutions working in the athletic and sports turf sector for their detailed comments on the benefits of oxadiazon use on athletic and sport turf and the potential impacts of the proposed terminations in the oxadiazon proposed interim decision (PID). EPA proposed termination of these use sites to mitigate human health post-application risks identified in the draft risk assessments under high-contact turf scenarios, which would not be mitigated by a reduced application rate alone. However, the turf transferable residue (TTR) data used to estimate these risks did not use post-application irrigation, which is a common and widespread practice for oxadiazon applications to both ensure effectiveness by binding oxadiazon to the soil surface and prevent injury to the desired turf or ornamental vegetation.
Terefore, EPA has adjusted its mitigation proposal to allow use on athletic fields and other non- golf and non- agricultural turf sites (e.g., parks and other institutional or commercial turf ) under additional requirements. To mitigate these potential risks, EPA determined that thorough post-application irrigation, or watering-in, is needed as soon as possible on the same day of application for all oxadiazon use sites, and EPA will classify oxadiazon as a RUP to ensure only certified applicators, or those under the direct supervision of a certified applicator, are able to purchase and apply it. Furthermore, EPA is requiring new TTR data with watering-in to be submitted to allow refinement of these post-application risk estimates on turf. EPA has determined that sports/athletic turf and other institutional turf sites may remain conditionally registered at a maximum rate of 6 lbs a.i./A/year (2 applications of 3 lbs a.i./A per year) until these TTR data are reviewed and EPA is able to revise its risk estimates and regulatory decision for oxadiazon’s turf use sites.
TPI will continue to work with EPA to provide public comment on these recommended changes to oxadiazon. Te entire packet containing all of the information for the interim registration review decision on oxadiazon can be found at
https://www.federalregister.gov/ documents/2022/04/28/2022-09134/pesticide-registration- review-decisions-and-case-closures-for-several-pesticides- notice-of.
As always, we seek and welcome input from sod producers on these and other regulatory affairs. Last, but certainly not least, thanks to those sod producers, and representatives of other industries, who logged on to provide public comment on this important product. Tanks also to EPA staff for working with our industry on this and addressing many of our needs. We thank them for their partnership on this and other initiatives.
TPI Turf News July/August 2022
USDA To Provide Disaster Relief To Specialty Crop Producers
Te USDA announced on May 16, 2022, that commodity and specialty crop producers impacted by natural disaster events in 2020 and 2021 will soon begin receiving emergency relief payments totaling approximately $6 billion through the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) new Emergency Relief Program (ERP) to offset crop yield and value losses.
“For over two years, farmers and ranchers across the country have been hard hit by an ongoing pandemic coupled with more frequent and catastrophic natural disasters,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “As the agriculture industry deals with new challenges and stressors, we at USDA look for opportunities to inject financial support back into the rural economy through direct payments to producers who bear the brunt of circumstances beyond their control. Tese emergency relief payments will help offset the significant crop losses due to major weather events in 2020 and 2021 and help ensure farming operations are viable this crop year, into the next growing season and beyond.”
Click the link that follows to read more about this and other USDA programs.
https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2022/05/16/usda- provide-approximately-6-billion-commodity-and-specialty-crop.
TPI Working With USDA on Crop Insurance For Sod
TPI also is working with the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) on developing potential crop insurance plans specific to sod production. As TPI President Jim Keeven says, “We can’t control the weather, but we can try to control what happens when the weather attacks. As a part of that exploratory committee, I can report that we’ve been digging into what is available now and what we’d like to work out. As of early June, the committee had held two zoom meetings with RMA, and they are listening. Tey’ve proposed a couple programs that were to be on the agenda at the mid-June TPI Board meeting.” Look for more information to come on this initiative.
Casey Reynolds, PhD, is executive director of Turfgrass Producers International.
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