Status of Methyl Bromide and Substitutes

1. 2005 Southeast Vegetable & Fruit Expo Status of Methyl Bromide and Substitutes Stephen J. Toth, Jr. Extension Entomologist and Associate Director, Southern Region IPM Center North Carolina State University

2. Status of Methyl Bromide and Substitutes • Under the Federal Clean Air Act and an international treaty to protect the ozone layer (Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer), the production and import of methyl bromide phased out in the United States on January 1, 2005 2005 Southeast Vegetable & Fruit Expo

3. Status of Methyl Bromide and Substitutes Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2005 Southeast Vegetable & Fruit Expo

4. Status of Methyl Bromide and Substitutes • The USDA and Land-grant Universities have been supporting research for the discovery and implementation of practical pest management alternatives for commodities (i.e., vegetables, fruit, nurseries) affected by the phase-out of methyl bromide • The USDA has spent over $200 million to date on research and outreach; over $400 million spent by private sector, state agricultural universities and the U. S. Government 2005 Southeast Vegetable & Fruit Expo

5. Status of Methyl Bromide and Substitutes • Parties to the Montreal Protocol recognized that methyl bromide users in some countries needed a temporary safety net to provide the time necessary to transition to alternatives • Parties to the Montreal Protocol agreed to allow limited production and import of methyl bromide after Jan. 1, 2005 for“critical use exemptions” • In May 2002, EPA called for applications for critical use exemptions from U. S. users 2005 Southeast Vegetable & Fruit Expo

6. Status of Methyl Bromide and Substitutes • A workshop was held August 7-8, 2002 in Raleigh, NC to develop applications for strawberries (field and nursery), tomatoes, peppers and cucurbits in the Southeast U. S., coordinated by NC State University faculty • EPA submitted a two-year exemption request for the U.S. to begin in 2005 (for 16 crops/uses) • The U.S. request for 2005 was for 39% of the U.S. baseline consumption of methyl bromide • In March 2004, Parties to the Montreal Protocol met and granted limited critical use exemptions for 2005 to 11 countries including the U.S. 2005 Southeast Vegetable & Fruit Expo

7. Status of Methyl Bromide and Substitutes • The United States was allocated 19.6 million pounds for 2005 (equivalent to 35% of the 1991 baseline; composed of 30% new production and 5% existing stocks) • Critical use exemption was for 1 year only! • Parties also authorized a small supplemental request for 2005, amounting to 2% of the 1991 baseline • An EPA ruling was released in the December 23, 2004 Federal Register which outlined the process for allocating methyl bromide under critical use exemptions 2005 Southeast Vegetable & Fruit Expo

8. Status of Methyl Bromide and Substitutes • Pre-plant uses for AL, AR, GA, NC, SC, TN and VApepper and tomato growers with one or more of the following limiting conditions: moderate to severe yellow or purple nutsedge infestation, and/or presence of an occupied structure within 76 meters of a grower’s field the size of 100 acres or less Bill Tarpenning 2005 Southeast Vegetable & Fruit Expo

9. Status of Methyl Bromide and Substitutes • Additional critical use exemptions requested for 2006 calendar year via applications submitted in August 2003 • U. S. requested 37% of the 1991 baseline for the 2006 calendar year (17 uses including cucurbits, peppers, strawberries and tomatoes) • For 2006, the Parties authorized 27% of the 1991 baseline in November 2004 and an additional 5% at a one-day meeting in June 2005 2005 Southeast Vegetable & Fruit Expo

10. Status of Methyl Bromide and Substitutes • Additional critical use exemptions requested for 2007 calendar year in applications submitted in August 2004 • U. S. is requesting 29% of the 1991 baseline for the 2007 calendar year (15 uses including cucurbits, peppers, strawberries and tomatoes) • Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee (MBTOC) considering the request and will make recommendations to the Parties; the Parties met in November 2005 to consider recommendations and possibly authorize methyl bromide for the critical needs in 2007 2005 Southeast Vegetable & Fruit Expo

11. Status of Methyl Bromide and Substitutes • Additional critical use exemptions requested for “2007 and beyond” in applications submitted in August 2005 • The Southeastern Consortium provides the infrastructure to complete and submit critical use exemption applications • The Consortium will continue to access the need for future critical use exemptions, and pursue the technical/economical alternatives to methyl bromide • Methyl Bromide Alternatives Workshop held on Feb. 23-24, 2005 in Raleigh; training for county Extension agents in GA, NC, SC, TN and VA 2005 Southeast Vegetable & Fruit Expo

12. Status of Methyl Bromide and Substitutes • The amount of methyl bromide requested by the U. S. each year in CUE process is decreasing (39% to 37% to 29% of baseline) • The amount of methyl bromide authorized by the Parties each year in CUE process is decreasing (37% to 32% to ? of baseline) • The continued authorization of methyl bromide by the Parties is dependent on U. S. demonstrating progress toward development of alternatives Summary: 2005 Southeast Vegetable & Fruit Expo

13. Status of Methyl Bromide and Substitutes Questions? 2005 Southeast Vegetable & Fruit Expo