Pest Management Regulatory Agency
Date: 18 March, 2011
ISSN: 1925-0843 (online)
Catalogue number: H113-24/2011-2E-PDF (PDF version)

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Under the authority of the  Pest Control Products Act, Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has granted conditional registration to the chemical safener cyprosulfamide and the herbicide isoxaflutole for use in Canada on field corn. The specific uses approved in Canada are detailed on the product label of Converge Flexx Herbicide, Pest Control Products Act Registration Number 29071.

The evaluation of these applications indicated that the end-use product has merit and value and that the human health and environmental risks associated with the new uses are acceptable. Details regarding the registration can be found in the corresponding Evaluation Report available in the Pesticides and Pest Management section of Health Canada's website, under Public Registry, Pesticide Product Information Database.¹

Before registering a pesticide for food use in Canada, the PMRA must determine the quantity of residues that are likely to remain in or on the food when the pesticide is used according to label directions and that such residues will not be a concern to human health. This quantity is then legally established as a maximum residue limit (MRL). An MRL applies to the identified raw agricultural food commodity as well as to any processed food product that contains it, except where separate MRLs are specified for the raw agricultural commodity and a processed product made from it.

In addition, the PMRA is proposing to establish import MRLs for cyprosulfamide on popcorn and sweet corn to permit the import and sale of food containing these residues. The PMRA has determined the quantity of residues that are likely to remain in or on the imported commodities when cyprosulfamide is used according to label directions in the exporting country, and that such residues will not be a concern to human health. Details regarding the proposed import MRLs can also be found in the referenced Evaluation Report.

Consultation on the proposed MRLs for cyprosulfamide is being conducted via this document (see Next Steps, the last section of this document).

To comply with Canada's international trade obligations, consultation on the proposed MRLs is also being conducted internationally by notifying the  World Trade Organization, as coordinated by the  Standards Council of Canada.

The proposed MRLs for cyprosulfamide in Canada in or on food are as follows.

Table 1 - Proposed Maximum Residue Limits for Cyprosulfamide

Common Name	Residue Definition	MRL (ppm)	Food Commodity
Cyprosulfamide	N-[[4-[(cyclopropylamino)carbonyl] phenyl]sulfonyl]-2-methoxybenzamide	0.01	Field corn, popcorn grain, sweet corn kernels plus cob with husks removed
	N-[[4-[(cyclopropylamino)carbonyl] phenyl]sulfonyl]-2-methoxybenzamide and the metabolite 4-(aminosulfonyl)-N-cyclopropylbenzamide	0.02	Eggs; fat, meat and meat byproducts of cattle, goats, hogs, horses, poultry and sheep
		0.01	Milk

A complete list of all pesticide MRLs established in Canada can be found on the Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides webpage in the Pesticides and Pest Management section of Health Canada's website.

International Situation and Trade Implications

Table 2 compares the MRLs proposed for cyprosulfamide in Canada with corresponding American tolerances (listed in the  Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR Part 180, by pesticide) and Codex Alimentarius MRLs.² Currently, Codex MRLs have not been established for cyprosulfamide on any commodity. A listing of all established Codex MRLs is available on the Codex Alimentarius  Pesticide Residues in Food website.

Table 2 - Comparison of Canadian MRLs, American Tolerances and Codex MRLs

Food Commodity	Canadian MRL (ppm)	American Tolerance (ppm)	Codex MRL (ppm)
Field corn, popcorn grain, sweet corn kernels plus cob with husks removed	0.01	0.01	Not Established
Meat byproducts of cattle, goats, horses and sheep	0.02	0.02	Not Established
Fat and meat of cattle, goats, horses and sheep	0.02	Not Established	Not Established
Fat, meat and meat byproducts of hogs and poultry	0.02	Not Established	Not Established
Eggs	0.02	Not Established	Not Established
Milk	0.01	Not Established	Not Established

Next Steps

The PMRA invites the public to submit written comments on the proposed MRLs for cyprosulfamide up to 75 days from the date of publication of this document. Please forward your comments to Publications. The PMRA will consider all comments received before making a final decision on the proposed MRLs for cyprosulfamide and posting a corresponding Established Maximum Residue Limit document on the PMRA website.