Pesticide Program Highlights

Keeping you informed

Fall/Winter 2008

ISSN: 1918-7998 (Print)
ISSN: 1918-8005 (Online)

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Nomination of Executive Director

We are pleased to announce the recent appointment of Dr. Richard Aucoin as Executive Director of the Health Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). Dr. Aucoin succeeds Dr. Karen Dodds, who accepted a position with the Health Policy Branch of Health Canada earlier this year.

Dr. Aucoin holds a PhD in Biology from the University of Ottawa, and has worked with the PMRA since 1996 in progressively senior positions. His key responsibilities have included science integration and decision-making, stakeholder relations, international collaboration and work-sharing. His past work includes standards development for Environment Canada, and hazard and risk assessment for the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. He looks forward to meeting the many challenges ahead.

Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs)

The PMRA has taken several steps to make the pesticide MRL regulatory process more efficient and transparent. On 16 June 2008, the Food and Drugs Act was amended via Bill C-28 to allow pesticide Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) to be legally established by being specified under the Pest Control Products Act, rather than having to be adopted by regulation under the authority of the Food and Drugs Act.

This regulatory amendment does not impact the science-based approach of setting MRLs, and is administrative only. The list of existing pesticide MRLs, proposed new MRLs and newly-established MRLs will now be published and maintained on the Health Canada website, rather than in the Food and Drug Regulations. Ultimately, this results in a more efficient means of establishing, revising and revoking pesticide MRLs without adversely impacting food safety.

International Regulatory Co-Operation

The PMRA is participating with other organizations, including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries in several global joint review and work-share pilot projects. In 2008, four new active ingredients for agricultural uses were registered and a number of other active ingredients are currently under review. The joint review process continues to work to meet the needs of Canadian growers.

The PMRA is actively working with OECD counterparts towards modernizing and standardizing the processes used to regulate pesticides and to ensure the protection of health and the environment. The PMRA's international collaboration in pesticide regulation is ongoing through participation in the OECD Working Group on Pesticides and its various sub-committees and expert groups.

Transition Strategies

To ensure that the pesticides registered for use in Canada meet today's health and environmental standards, the PMRA is reviewing all active ingredients that have been registered for more than 15 years. These reviews have the potential to result in the phase-out or loss of pesticides from the Canadian marketplace. A loss of products could leave a gap in the pest management program of many Canadian growers. When there is a critical pest management gap created by the loss of a product, a longer term phase-out period is provided for some pesticide uses. This is to allow sufficient time for new reduced-risk pesticides to be registered to fill pest management needs. To assist in the phase-out process, the PMRA is working with Canadian stakeholders to build strategies that will focus on transitioning to lower risk products to replace those being lost.

The four transition strategies currently underway are: azinphos-methyl, phorate, terbufos and diazinon. The azinphos-methyl transition strategy group has held meetings with the tree fruit, raspberry, cranberry and grape stakeholders. The transition strategy group for phorate and terbufos, initiated in March 2008, are working with potato and sugar beet growers. Preliminary work for the diazinon transition strategy has begun, with stakeholder meetings in the fall of 2008.

Grower Requested Own Use Program

The Grower Requested Own Use (GROU) Program is a mechanism whereby growers, with an approved Import Certificate, are authorized to import the United States version of a Canadian registered product. The following GROU products have been approved to date. Additional products are currently under review.

Approved GROU Products

• Reglone Desiccant (Diquat ion)
• 2,4-D Amine 500 Liquid Herbicide (2,4-D)
• Sevin Brand XLR Plus Carbaryl Insecticide (Carbaryl)
• Bravo Zn (Chlorothalonil)
• GF-120 NF Naturalyte Fruit Fly Bait (Spinosad)
• Aatrex Liquid 480 (Atrazine)
• Gavel 75 DF Fungicide (Mancozeb and Zoxamide)
• Touchdown iQ Liquid Herbicide (Glyphosate)
• Reflex Liquid Herbicide (Fomesafen)
• Roundup Weathermax with Transorb 2 Technology Liquid Herbicide (Glyphosate)
• Banvel II Herbicide (Dicamba)
• Basagran Liquid Herbicide (Bentazon)
• Assure II (Quizalofop P-Ethyl)

The GROU Nomination Committee

The GROU Nomination Committee, consisting of representatives of key grower associations, was formed to nominate candidate products for consideration under the Program to the benefit of Canadian producers. By accurately representing the national interest of Canadian producers, the Committee prioritizes and submits GROU product candidates as well as monitors and maintains the GROU container management program fee collection process. The list of candidate products for the 2009 season is currently under review.

New information on how to apply for an import certificate can be found at www.pmra-arla.gc.ca.

North American Free Trade Agreement Labelling

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) labels for agricultural pesticides allow the cross-border movement of these products between Canada and the United States to the benefit of growers. Regulatory cooperation as well as collaboration among grower groups, pesticide manufacturers and governments has made North American Free Trade Agreement labels possible. Many stakeholders view this initiative as a major accomplishment and the preferred path forward in terms of accessibility and price discipline.

Health Canada and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have recently approved three North American Free Trade Agreement labels, bringing the total to date to seven.

NAFTA Labelled Products - Approved

• Broadband Herbicide (Pinoxaden, Florasulam) December 2008
• Horizon NG Herbicide - October 2008
• Revus Fungicide (Mandipropamid) - August 2008
• Simplicity Herbicide (Pyroxsulam) - January 2008
• Reflex Liquid Herbicide (Fomesafen) - October 2007
• Gavel 75 DF Fungicide (Mancozeb, Zoxamide) - May 2007
• Avadex Microactiv Herbicide (Triallate) - January 2007

Generic Registrations

In 2008, Health Canada implemented an improved system for registering generic pesticides. The policy encourages innovation by providing fair protection of the proprietary interests in data while ensuring a predictable and timely process for the introduction of competing generic pesticides to the Canadian market. A number of major generic manufacturers have indicated their support for this policy, and approximately 40 applications to register generic sources of active ingredients have been received within the policy's first year.