Pesticide Notes Newsletter From the Pesticide Safety Education Program at MSU ---Reminder for the New Year: this newsletter is sent out on the 15th of each month--- In this issue [ January 2004]
* REGULATORY & CERTIFICATION UPDATES - Raid recall
* PESTICIDE Q & A's - Obtaining recert credits; New MDA/MABA credit policy
* NEW TRAINING MATERIALS - Change to MSU bulletin ordering; IPM school poster; free stuff from EPA; Ag Center
* PESTICIDES in the NEWS - Quail poisonings; West Nile tally
* CHANGES in PESTICIDE LABELS/REGISTRATION
* CALENDAR of PESTICIDE RELATED PROGRAMS - Spring MSU seminars; NCB-ESA meeting
* JOB/ GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS - USDA Program Spec.; Mississippi State jobs; F&W endangered species grants program
* MAKING SUBMISSIONS to this NEWSLETTER
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REGULATORY & CERTIFICATION UPDATES
***CONSUMER ALERT: Voluntary Recall of Raid Product***
[from the weekly EPA Pesticide Program Update] I know its winter but......S.C. Johnson Company has voluntarily recalled two specific lots of Raid Flying Insect Killer due to unacceptable performance. Although there are no reports of injury or damage to property, tests show that the aerosol cans may not spray an appropriate amount of the insecticide and therefore have reduced effectiveness. The company also believes that some cans could develop leaks over time. The product is Raid Flying Insect Killer (EPA Registration Number 4822-513) marked with lot numbers 225 or 226 on the bottom of the can. Consumers with this product should call the S.C. Johnson Hotline at 1-800-294-3632 for disposal instructions and full value replacement coupons. No other Raid products are involved in this recall. SC Johnson has the recall posted on the web at http://www.scjohnson.com/family/fam_pre_pre_news.asp?art_id=109
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PESTICIDE Q & A's [Two questions this month]
QUESTION #1: What is the procedure to get recertification credits for a pesticide-related meeting? Step One: Do you need to offer credits for the meeting? It takes time for you as a host, and MDA as the regulator, to offer credits at a meeting. Each year, there are always meetings that have been awarded credits, but MDA receives no bubble sheets back after the meeting is concluded. Targeting which programs are likely to actually need credits saves time for both the host and MDA. Step Two: Fill out the Form That is, fill out the "Request for Seminar Credits/ Agenda form from the Michigan Department of Agriculture. The form is towards the bottom of MDA Training Sessions web page: http://www.michigan.gov/mda/0,1607,7-125-1569_16988-66352--,00.html. This site also spells out the guidelines for requesting credits, and lists the contact information for Mr. Larry Swain, MDA's certification program manager. A hard copy of the form was also provided to each MSU county extension office last winter. Once you print off the form, you can simply make copies of it for future credit requests. On the form, you must provide the following information: - contact information for the meeting host; - the meeting title, date, and detailed location (in case an MDA inspector will attend); - the # and category of credits you are requesting. You also must fill out the agenda on the back of the form, or you can attach a detailed copy of the meeting agenda to the request form. In the past, credit requests came in to MDA in all sizes and shapes. The "Request for Seminar Credits" form is an attempt to standardize the process, and make it easier and faster for MDA to process requests. Step Three: Submit request. Mail or fax the Request for Seminar Credits, and the agenda, to: Larry Swain, Certification Program Manager MDA Pesticide & Plant Pest Management Division P. O. Box 30017 Lansing, Michigan 48909 Phone # (517) 335-2873, Fax #: (517) 335-4540 E-Mail Address: swainl@michigan.gov Mr. Swain asks that seminar requests be submitted at least 30-days prior to the date of the program. This guarantees that the seminar host receives bubble sheets and instructions by that date. Sometimes an emergency situation - for example, the discovery of a new pest or unusual weather conditions - leads to the immediate need for an educational program. In that case, I recommend that you call Mr. Swain to discuss the situation, and determine if credits may be awarded within the 30-day restriction (i.e. you may be able to negotiate something!). Step Four: Hold your program. Remember, as a seminar host, you are responsible for checking bubble sheets, and making sure that they are correctly filled out before returning them to MDA. MDA receives many sheets each year that cannot be scanned due to errors. MDA does not have the time or staff to correct the sheets or fill out new ones. Common errors are shown in the slide set "Bubble Sheets Gone Bad", developed by the MSU Pesticide Program. It is on line at http://www.pested.msu.edu. Another responsibility of seminar hosts - if your program has multiple sessions (for example, the Great Lakes Vegetable Show or the MABA January meeting), you must separate your bubble sheets by session so they can be fed through the scanners as a group.
QUESTION #2. What is the new policy with recertification credits and CCA Credits If you want BOTH recertification and certified crop advisor (CCA) credits for your program, you have a new option to receive both types of credit from a single source. MDA and the Michigan Agribusiness Association recently signed a reciprocity agreement. Until now, MDA awarded recertification credits, while MABA awarded CCA credits. Under the new agreement, if you want BOTH sets of credits for your meeting, you can apply either to MDA or MABA. In other words, Larry Swain at MDA can now award both pesticide and CCA credits for your meeting. Likewise, the MABA office can award CCA and pesticide credits. The two offices will communicate back and forth. The bubble sheets for your program will still come from MDA (after awarding credits, the MABA office forwards your paperwork so MDA can mail out the sheets). Another important point - at the end of your meeting, you must send the credit sheets back to the appropriate organization. Bubble sheets must be sent back to MDA; the CCA sign-up sheet must be sent back to MABA. The reciprocity agreement does not change the certification process, the fee structure, or credit requirements. It simply allows you, the host, to make a single request for both types of credits. Please note that you must ask for both types of credit to use the MABA route - MABA will not evaluate your program for pesticide credits unless you are also asking for CCA credits. If you have further questions about the new agreement, please contact MDA or MABA directly. MABA contact information is below. Michigan Agribusiness Association Attn: Charla 1501 North Shore Drive, Suite A East Lansing, MI 48823 charla@miagbiz.org http://www.miagbiz.org/maba/
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NEW TRAINING MATERIALS
***Ordering from the MSU Bulletin Office***
In October, the MSU Bulletin Office changed its system to allow on-line ordering. The web site is http://web2.msue.msu.edu/bulletins/intro.cfm. It can be accessed by MSU extension as well as people outside the university. All certification manuals are listed under PESTICIDE APPLICATOR CERTIFICATION in the subject search area, along with the price and the number in stock.

***IPM posters for schools***
Don Baumgartner from the Region 5 EPA Office passes on this web site from California. It has some clever school IPM posters aimed at kids. http://www.calisafe.org/posters.htm

***Free stuff from EPA***
"Help Yourself to a Healthy Home: Protect you Children's Health" 56 pages of information for parents, grandparents and care givers. Includes info on environmental contaminants found in many American homes and how to protect your family from risks posed by carbon monoxide, unhealthy drinking waters, poor indoor air quality, lead poisoning, hazardous household products, pesticides, and much more. It features "Questions to Ask" that will help parents learn if their home has hidden safety and health dangers, and suggests steps to take to protect kids. Also available in Spanish as "Contribuya a Tener un Hogar Sano." To order, call Kathy Seikel at 703-308-8272, or email seikel.kathy@epa.gov. "Join our Pest Patrol: A Backyard Activity Book for Kids on Integrated Pest Management." A new publication, geared for elementary school children in grades 3-5. Originally developed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture under an EPA grant, now adapted for nationwide use. It has 29 pages of activities that can easily be incorporated into reading, science, or even math and art classes. It provides kids - and teachers - with important information about pest identity, biology, and ecology. Bulk orders are accepted. To order, call Kathy Seikel at 703-308-8272 or email seikel.kathy@epa.gov. Pesticide safety promotional items. EPA's Consumer Labeling Initiative (CLI) offers free promotional items to raise awareness about the importance of reading pesticide products labels. Promotional items available free of charge to the public include rulers, bag clips, and jar openers. To order, call 703-305-5017 or send an email request to lormand.mary-jean@epa.gov.

***Ag Center helps with compliance***
The EPA and USDA help ag prodcuers comply with government regulations by funding the National Ag Center. Information from the Ag Center is available toll free by phone at 1-888-663-2155, or on the web at agcenter@epa.gov. You can call the center and ask questions about compliance with laws regulating numerous ag-related topics. Or, go on-line to view resources and order publications (many of which are free). Below is a list of some of the recently updated publications available on-line. Aquaculture (http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/aaqu.html) Best Management Practices (http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/abmp.html) Chemical Safety Alerts (http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/ache.html) Food Safety (http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/afsy.html) Organic Farming (http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/aorg.html) Small Farm/Small Business Information (http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/asma.html) Tribal Issues (http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/atri.html) Underground Storage Tanks (http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/atan.html) Waste (http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/awas.html) Water (http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/awat.html) Wetlands (http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/awet.html) Worker Protection Standard (http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/awor.html) ***Miscellaneous publications received in the Pest Ed Office*** "Offering sound pest management advice to the public". Purdue University Bulletin PPP-62. New Nov. 2003, geared towards extension educators, master gardeners, nursery/ lawn care professionals. $1 per copy. Call 1-888-398-4636 and ask for media distribution. Or download free of charge at http://www.btny.purdue.edu/PPP/ "Introduction to crop scouting" Bulletin IPM 1006 "Practical weed science for the field scout in corn and soybeans" Bulletin IPM1007 "Management of soft red winter wheat" Bulletin IPM 1022 University of Missouri - Columbia Outreach & Extension. Available at 1-800-292-0969. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

PESTICIDES in the NEWS
*** Georgia Quail Ranchers fined in egg poisoning***
EPA fined a group of southern quail ranchers over $300,000 for intentionally spiking bird eggs with insecticide to kill wild animals. [I know what you are thinking....there are quail ranches??]. Apparently, there are a number of hunting preserves in Georgia that ranch quail for wealthy hunters. At least 16 'quail hunting plantations' were part of the illegal use investigation. The plantation owners set out chicken eggs laced with Furadan to kill egg predators such as foxes, possums, raccoons and skunks. Unfortunately, the dead predators had enough Furadan in them to killed other animals attracted to the carcasses such as alligators, snakes, hawks, vultures, and bald eagles (a federally threatened species). There was also enough Furadan in raccoons to kill hunting dogs, which first prompted state and federal investigators to suspect poisoning in 1998. Although pesticide misuse was suspected on many plantations, initially the Georgia Department of Agriculture fined only four quail ranches a few thousand dollars. The EPA reopened the case last year because it felt the evidence showed more ranches were involved, and the fines imposed by the state of Georgia were too low to deter more poisonings. Under federal law, EPA could have imposed millions of dollars in penalties, but the Agency is apparently settling for something in the $300,000 range. ***West Nile Virus Tally*** Here is the latest numbers as of late 2003 on West Nile Virus (WNV) in the U.S.: Total number of reported human cases: 8,567, 199 of which were fatal Number of states: 46 (only Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii with no cases) Top three states: Colorado (n = 2,477), Nebraska (n = 1,727), South Dakota (n = 1,001) Michigan: 32nd with 15 cases, 1 death (remember, Michigan was a hot spot in 2002) Gender distribution: 53% males, 47% female Age range: 1 month to 99 years of age Dates of illness onset: Between 28 March to 3 November Blood donations: 737 tested positive for WNV, mostly in western states Non-human cases: 11,350 dead birds; horses, dogs, cats, squirrels For complete numbers, see the CDC web site at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5247a7.htm <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

CHANGES in PESTICIDE LABELS/REGISTRATION
Clothianidin (Arvesta Corp): residue tolerances proposed on apples and pears. Cyprodinil (Syngenta) The time-limited tolerance was extended for this pesticide on bulb and green onions, and strawberry (extension requested by the IR-4 program). The tolerance will expire on December 31, 2004. Fluroxypyr (Dow AgroSciences LLC) tolerances established on field and sweet corn, sorghum, range and pasture. Atrazine: Atrazine has been undergoing reregistration for some time now. In January 2003, EPA released an Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision (called an IRED) for atrazine, focusing mainly on addressing human health concerns. In October 2003, an addendum to the IRED was published. This addendum focuses more on environmental issues, such as monitoring for atrazine in watersheds and the link between atrazine and endocrine disruption in amphibians (the now famous mutant frogs). This addendum also talks about atrazine exposure and human cancer. There is a lot available for public comment, and it is all on the EPA web site http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/reregistration/atrazine/.

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CALENDAR of PESTICIDE RELATED PROGRAMS
*** Pesticide-related seminars at MSU, spring term*** (off-campus visitors are welcome!) Feb 5 (4:00, A149 PSS) Steve Rall and Laura Delind, MSU Anthropology Dept Food and Farming in Cuba Feb 9 (4:00pm, 244 Natural Science Bldg) John Stark, Washington State University Effects of reduced risk insecticides on non-target organisms. April 5 (4:00pm, 244 Natural Science Bldg) Jian Duan, Monsanto Corporation Ecological risk assessment of genetically modified plants: case studies with Bt crops. April 15 (4:00, A149 PSS) Peggy Lemaux, UC Berkeley A contemporary food fight: the role of the public sector in biotechnology education.

***North-central Entomological Society Meeting*** March 28-31, 2004 at the Fairmont Kansas City Plaza Hotel, Kansas City, Missouri. Meeting information and instructions for submitting presentations are online at http://esa.ent.iastate.edu/ <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

JOB / GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
***USDA Program Specialist *** USDA CSREES, Program Specialist (Plant Science). Position Title: Program Specialist (Plant Science) Series/Grade: GS-401-9/11/12 (will depend on qualifications and experience) Promotion Potential: GS-12 Salary: GS-9: $39,597-$51,476, GS-11: $47,910-$62,287, GS-12: $57,421-$74,648 Type of Appointment: Full-Time, Permanent Location of Position: USDA, Cooperative State Research Education & Extension Service Plant and Animal Systems Unit, Washington, DC DUTIES: This position is located in the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), Plant and Animal Systems unit, Plant Systems section. At the full performance level, the incumbent provides support to National Program Leaders working in areas related to plant science. Specifically, the incumbent establishes and coordinates program objectives, policies and schedules; develops program solicitations and regulations; reviews peer evaluations; and assists in monitoring grantee performance. He/she provides technical leadership and direction in the development and implementation of the peer review process, and works with program staff to identify and recommend panel experts. Additionally, the incumbent provides program support by creating educational fact sheets; contributing to a positive web presence that describes funded activities; analyzing technical plant sciences information; and assisting in the overall day-to-day planning, organization, and management of research, education, and extension programs. The employee visits various research institutions to promote and explain the purpose of programs, and maintains continuous contact with research, education and extension personnel and administrative officials of universities, colleges, and other research agencies. The following abilities are a must for the successful applicant: 1. Ability to communicate effectively with representatives at all levels of the public sector, private sector, and academia for such purposes as; teaching and sharing information, resolving problematic issues, managing projects/programs, developing partnerships, and delivering briefings. 2. Ability to organize, analyze, review, assess and interpret technical, scientific and other information for purposes of developing program/project reports position/issue papers, abstracts, progress reports, and other written communications. 3. Knowledge of the interrelationship between CSREES, the land-grant university system, and other Federal agencies in order to conduct plant science research, education and/or extension programs. 4. Ability to effectively utilize automated information processing and electronic communications equipment and software application packages, such as database managers, spreadsheets, word processors, desktop publishing, web-based applications, and electronic mail. Web address is http://www.reeusda.gov/hrd/S4M-0007.htm, which includes qualification requirements, candidate evaluation ranking factors, and application instructions. Or contact Bill Hoffman, Program Specialist, CSREES/USDA, Plant & Animal Systems (PAS) Unit 202-401-1112, whoffman@csrees.usda.gov

***Two positions at Mississippi State (the other MSU)*** Mississippi State University Extension Service announces the availability of two positions. The Agromedicine Specialist and the Extension Associate II positions will be located at the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, MS. Both positions will address health education and social marketing needs relative to agricultural illness and injury. Position descriptions and requirements along with application information can be found at www.jobs.msstate.edu under Family and Consumer Education. Applications will be accepted through January 29, 2004, or until the positions are filled. Both positions are time-limited. Mississippi State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. For more information, contact Bonnie Carew at: Mississippi State, MS 39762 662-325-1321, 662-325-8407(fax) bcarew@ext.msstate.edu

***Endangered species grants for private land*** [notice provided by the Region 5 EPA Office] The U.S. Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service announced it is accepting proposals for private lands conservation funding through its Private Stewardship Grants Program. Over $7 million is available to support on-the-ground conservation efforts on private lands through this grant. The program provides competitive Federal grants to individuals or groups engaged in voluntary conservation efforts on private lands that benefit imperiled species including Federally-listed endangered or threatened species as well as proposed and at risk species. Landowners and their partners (perhaps university researchers or extension agents? perhaps related to reducing pesticide impacts?) may submit proposals directly to FWS for funding to support those efforts. For more information, see F & Ws Private Stewardship Grants website at http://endangered.fws.gov/grants/private_stewardship.html. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

MAKING SUBMISSIONS to this NEWSLETTER If you have pesticide-related information that you would like to provide to MSU extension agents, MSU campus specialists, agribusiness, and others, we welcome submissions to this newsletter. The newsletter is sent out on the 15th of each month. Submissions can be emailed to difonzo@msu.edu; please put 'newsletter submission' in the subject line. Do not email attachments...please include all relevant information within the body of the email message, so it can be directly copied into the newsletter. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Newsletter prepared by: Chris DiFonzo MSU Pesticide Safety Education Program B18 Food Safety and Toxicology Building East Lansing, MI 48824 Web site: www.pested.msu.edu