EPA Orders Cancellation of Dow’s Sulfoxaflor (Transform)

By now many of you may have heard that Sulfoxaflor, the active ingredient in Transform, recently lost a major court decision in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The suit was led by the Pollinator Stewardship Council, beekeepers, and other bee advocacy groups. To sum up the decision, the courts ruled that the EPA did not have substantial evidence that the products effects on bees had been studied sufficiently prior to registration.

What does this mean for the Mississippi?

Cotton: Over the last several years Transform has proven to be a highly efficacious product against the Tarnished Plant Bug and Cotton Aphid. It has essentially replaced 1-3 dicrotophos and acephate sprays for plant bugs in the MS Delta region.

Grain Sorghum: Transform is essentially 1 of the 2 (Sivanto) only available options to control Sugarcane Aphids in grain sorghum (a new devastating pest of grain sorghum). This will increase the likelihood of resistance to Sivanto substantially in the coming year.

At this time it is not clear what choices growers will have for 2016 but this decision no doubt will affect our overall IPM program for next year. As growers have begun to find out about the cancelation of Sulfoxaflor, many growers have expressed concern and frustration. As we learn more we will share.

From the EPA:

Sulfoxaflor – Final Cancellation Order

On November 12, 2015, EPA issued a cancellation order for all previously registered Sulfoxaflor products. Pursuant to EPA’s cancellation order, and beginning November 12, 2015, distribution or sale by the registrant of cancelled sulfoxaflor products is prohibited, unless such distribution or sale is for the purpose of disposal or export. Also, stocks of cancelled products held by persons other than the registrant may not be commercially distributed in the United States, but instead may be distributed only to facilitate return to the manufacturer or for proper disposal or lawful export. Use of existing stocks by end users is permitted provided such use is consistent in all respects with the previously-approved labeling for the product.

For more detailed information click the following link: Sulfoxaflor Final Cancellation Order