Economic Impact of Discontinuing Farm Use of Chlordane

AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIC REPORT NO.231

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF DISCONTINUING FARM USE OF CHLORDANE

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ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ABSTRACT

In 1971, U.S. farmers would have incurred additional costs of over $1.84 million if farm uses of the insecticide chlordane had been discontinued. Based on estimates of 1971 acreage treated with chlordane, this aggregate loss would have included $1.56 million in additional costs for alternative insecticides and $0.28 million in yield losses. Added costs for alternative insecticides would have ranged from $0.18 an acre for cotton to $6.77 an acre for com. For producers of potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries, and certain vegetables, the added cost would have averaged about $2.25 an acre. Because alternative insecticides are not as effective as chlordane in controlling insects on citrus, strawberries, and certain vegetables, per acre yield losses for these crops would have been $31, $75, and $23, respectively. Total use of chlordane would have decreased by 601,000 pounds if farm use had been discontinued. But the increase in alternative insecticides would have been about 1.1 million pounds--primarily carbaryl and diazinon for com production and small amounts of phorate, EPN, parathion, and methyl parathion for other crops.

Key Words: Insecticides, pesticides^^ agricultural production, economic impact, com, potatoes, citrus, strawberries, vegetables.

PREFACE

A policy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is to continually review farm needs for pesticides and to recommend for farm use only those that are safe with respect to people, property, and the environment. This report is in response to a request from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Pesticide Coordinator in the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture. To aid in a réévaluation of the need for farm use of the insecticide chlordane, the report analyzes the economic effects that a ban on chlordane would have on U.S. farmers. The analysis considers only the aggregate effects of using alternative insecticides. Local effects or individual farm situations are not considered. Also, since completion of the analysis, interstate shipments of aldrin--a chemical relative of chlordane--have been cancelled by EPA for a number of agricultural uses. This development, however, does not change the results of this analysis because aldrin was not considered as an alternative to chlordane. The authors express appreciation to Federal and State entomologists who provided information for or reviewed this report. Gratitude is also expressed to John H. Berry and Helen T. Blake, Production Resources Branch, Farm Production Economics Division, for their assistance in the preparation of this report. CONTENTS

Page SUMMARY ii IWTRODUCTION- 1 FARM USE OF CHLORDANE 1

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF DISCONTINUING FARM USE OF CHLORDANE— 4 Cost of substitute materials- 5 Value of yield losses * 7 Total additional costs 10 CHANGES IN QUANTITY OF INSECTICIDES USED — - 11 APPENDIX TABLES 13

TEXT TABLES Table page 1,--Farm use of chlordane, 1966 2 2.--Com grown, and com acreage treated with chlordane, 1966 and 1971 r — 3 3.--Additional cost of using alternative insecticides instead of chlordane, selected crops, 1971-- 6 4.--Value of yield losses for citrus if no insecticide had been used, and for strawberries and selected vegetables if alternative insecticides instead of chlordane had been used, 1971^ 8 5.--Additional materials costs and value of yield losses if alternative insecticides instead of chlordane had been used, selected crops, 1971 10 6.--Changes in total quantities of chlordane and alternative insecticides used if farm use of chlordane had been discontinued, 1971 -r^ 12

APPENDIX TABLES

1.--Quantity of chlordane used on selected crops, by region. United States, 1966 - - 13 2.--Acreage of selected crops treated with chlordane, by region. United States, 1966 14 3.--Costs of using chlordane and alternative insecticides, by crop, United States, 1971 15

Washington, D.C. 20250 August 1972 SUMMARY

If farm use of the insecticide chlordane had been discontinued, the total cost to U.S. fanners in 1971 would have been $1.84 million. Based on estimates of 1971 acreage treated with chlordane, farmers would have incurred additional costs of $1.56 million for alternative insecticides and $0.28 million in yield losses. Com producers, who treated 208,000 acres with chlordane in 1971, would have had additional costs of $1.4 million for alternative insecticides. Per acre costs would have risen by $6.77—from $2.03 for chlordane treatments to $8.80 for a substitute mixture of diazinon and carbaryl. For potato growers, additional costs would have been $108,000 on 38,000 acres, with per acre costs increasing from $6.75 for chlordane to $9.60 for a substitute. Tomato and tobacco producers would have had to spend an additional $12,000 and $14,000, respectively, for alternative insecticides. But for cotton producers, the added cost would have been negli- gible. Yield losses would not have occurred with the use of alternative insecticides in the production of com, potatoes, tomatoes, cotton, and tobacco. But for strawberries and certain vegetables, substitutes are not as effective as chlordane in controlling insect pests. Producers of these crops would have had yield losses as well as added costs of using substitute insecticides. For strawberry producers, the value of yield losses would have been an estimated $75,000 on 1,000 acres, or $75 an acre. Producers of broccoli, brussel sprouts, lettuce, and certain other vegetables would have incurred yield losses of about $115,000 on 5,000 acres, or $23 an acre. In using substitute insecticides instead of chlordane, producers of these vegetables and strawberries would have had to spend an addition- nai $14,000. Citrus growers would have had yield losses because there are no effective nonorganochlorine substitutes for chlordane in controlling termites in new citrus plantings. The cost of replacing trees damaged by termites and subsequent losses due to delayed fruit bearing would have amounted to about $93,000. The total quantity of chlordane used in 1971 would have decreased by an estimated 601,000 pounds if farm use of the insecticide had been discontinued. But quantities of carbaryl and diazinon used on farms-- primarily for com production—would have increased by 505,000 and 434,000 pounds, respectively. Also, soine phorate, EPN, parathion, and loethyl parathion would have been needed to replace chlordane.

ii ECONOMIC IMPACT OF DISCONTINUING FARM USE OF CHLORDANE

Robert P. Jenkins, Herman W. Delvo, and Austin S, Fox Agricultural Economists, Farm Production Economics Division

INTRODUCTION

Farmers currently use chlordane to control insects in crop production. In 1966, when the insecticide was also used to treat livestock, farm use accounted for 526,000 pounds of chlordane (table 1). 1/ Com and potato producers were the major users, and almost all of t"He crop use was for control of soil insects,

Chlordane is also used to control insects in residential and com- mercial structures. Information on the total quantity of chlordane used for nonfarm purposes in the United States is not available. However, 1971 pesticide-use data for California show that 94 percent of the -chlordane used in the State was for nonagricultural purposes. 2^/ The U.S.. Department of Agriculture continually reviews needs for pesticides for farm use and recommends only those that are safe with respect to people, property, and the environment. This report provides information for a réévaluation of the need for farm use of chlordane. Farm uses of chlordane are first identified. Then, estimates are made of the additional costs farmers would incur if farm use of the insecticide were discontinued.

FARM USE OF CHLORDANE

If farm use of chlordane were discontinued, farmers producing many crops would be affected. Geographically, almost 80 percent of the farm use of chlordane is in the Com Belt, Lake States, and Southwest. The largest quantities of chlordane are used on com and potatoes (table 1). Com producers are the major farm users of chlordane. In 1966, about 159,000 pounds of chlordane was applied to 210,000 acres of com (table 2). An estimated 208,000 acres of com were treated with chlordane in 1971. During 1966-71, com acreage treated with chlordane remained stable--at 0.3 percent of the planted acreage. Chlordane is recommended

1/ This is the latest data available on the quantity of chlordane useïï on U.S. farms. 2/ Pesticide Use Report, 1971, Calif. Dept. of Agr., Sacramento, CalTf. Table 1.—^^Farm use of chlordane, 1966

• Quantity ' Acres Percentage of planted Type of use used 1/ ; treated \ acres treated

1,000 1,000 pounds acres Percent

Crops: Corn 159 210 0.3 Citrus-- 15 2/83 7.0 Hay and pasture 47 59 3/ Potatoes 155 38 2.5 Other vegetables 18 23 .6 Deciduous fruits and nuts 27 34 1.4 Tobacco 26 17 1.7 Cotton 3 6 3/ Other crops 4/ 2 2 3/

All crops 452 472

Livestock and livestock buildings 71

Other uses 5/ 3

Total — 526 472

1/ Active ingredient. 1/ Gross acres of citrus on which chlordane was applied as a spot treatment. Of this acreage, only an estimated 10 percent was actually treated with chlordane. 3l Less than 0.05 percent. 4/ Some field, nursery, and greenhouse crops. 5^/ Includes use on seedbeds, storage buildings, transplants, seeds, and any other farm uses. Does not include use around homes, gardens, and lawns or on shrubbery and shade trees.

Source: Theodore Eichers and others. Quantities of Pesticides Used by Farmers in 1966, U.S. Dept, of Agr., Econ. Res. Serv., Agr. Econ. Rpt. 179, Apr. 1970. for use on com, primarily for control of soil insects such as wireworms, cutworms, white grubs, sod webworms, seed com maggot, and seed com beetle. ¿/ It is also recommended in some States for grasshopper control, About 155,000 pounds of chlordane was used on 2.5 percent of the planted potato acreage in 1966 (table 1). It is recommended for use as a foliar treatment to control Colorado potato beetles and as a soil treatment for mole crickets, slugs, grubs, white fringe beetles, and wireworms. 4/ Most of the chlordane used in potato production was in the Lake States--123,000 pounds on 30,000 acres (app. tables 1 and 2).

3/ Based on USDA and State recommendations for insecticide use. 5/ Based on USDA and State recommendations for insecticide use on potatoes. Table 2.—Corn grown, and corn acreage treated with chlordane, 1966 and 1971

Percentage Item Unit 1966 1971 change, 1966-71

Corn grown- Million acres 1/66.3 1/74.1 +12

Corn treated with chlordane Thousand acres 2/210.0 3/208.0

Percentage of corn acres treated with chlordane Percent 0.3 0.3

1/ Crop Production, 1966 and 1971 Annual Summaries, U.S. Dept. of Agr., Stat. Rptg. Serv., CrPr 2-1 (66) and CrPr 2-1 (71). 2/ Theodore Eichers and others, Quantities of Pesticides Used by Farmers in 1966, U.S. Dept. of Agr., Econ. Res. Serv., Agr. Econ. Rpt. 179, Apr. 1970. 3/ Preliminary data from Pesticide Use--1971 Objective Yield Survey, U.S. Dept. of Agr., Econ. Res. Serv., Farm Prod. Econ. Div., unpublished. An additional 27,000 pounds of chlordane was used in Com Belt potato production. Very little chlordane was used in potato production in Idaho and Maine--the two main potato-growing areas. ¿/ In 1966, about 15,000 pounds of chlordane was used to treat about 10 percent of first- and second-year citrus plantings to protect them from termites. In the middle 1960's, exceptionally large plantings of citrus were made. In 1971, new plantings were down considerably; however, about 4,500 pounds of chlordane was' applied to 3,000 acres of first- and second-year plantings. ^/ There are no effective nonorganochlorine substitutes. Beans, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupe, cauliflower, collards, cucumbers, eggplant, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, onions, peppers, sweet potatoes, and turnips are sometimes treated with chlordane. These treatments are generally to control root maggot, cabbage looper, mole cricket, cutworms, and wireworms. 7^/ Some fruits and nuts were treated with chlordane in 1966. For example, it was used on strawberries to control ants, earwigs, crickets, crown borers, root weevils, white grubs, and wireworms. Although apples and some other fruits were also treated with chlordane in 1966, the insecticide was no longer being recommended for these crops in 1971. ^/

5^/ Unpublished data on pesticide use in potato production, U.S. Dept, of Agr., Econ. Res. Serv., Farm Prod. Econ. Div. 6J Based on discussions with Robert Bullock, Entomologist, Univ. of Fla. Citrus Expt. Sta., Gainesville, Fla. 7^/ Based on USDA and State recommendatioi\s for insecticide use on vegetables. 8/ Based on USDA and State recommendations for insecticide use on f ruTt. Chlordane was also used on tobacco, hay and pasture, cotton, and a number of other crops in 1966, primarily to control mole crickets in tobacco, grasshoppers in hay and pasture, and bollworms in cotton. In addition to using chlordane on crops, farmers used 71,000 pounds of it on livestock and livestock buildings in 1966. For this study, however, it is assumed that chlordane is no longer being used to treat livestock and livestock buildings. The insecticide is no longer regis- tered for use on livestock or on dairy and poultry premises. On beef, hog, and sheep premises, other insecticides are assumed to be used now because of insect resistance to chlordane. 9^/

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF DISCONTINUING FARM USE OF CHLORDANE

If farm use of chlordane were discontinued, farmers would have high- er costs for substitute insect control. In addition, yield losses could be expected for producers of citrus, strawberries, and certain vegetables. For these crops, nonorganochlorine alternative insecticides are less effective than chlordane in controlling specific insects. For com, potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco, cotton, and certain other crops, it is assumed that use of alternative insecticides would result in no yield losses. 10/ Estimates of added insect control costs and yield losses are first discussed separately and then combined to give the net added cost of discontinuing farm use of chlordane. The analysis was developed under the following general assumptions: (1) Nonagricultural uses of chlordane were not considered; (2) nonorganochlorines were the only alternative insecticides considered; (3) control of insects not causing economic losses was not considered, even though the insects are a nuisance or otherwise undesirable; and (4) damage to vegetation on land not cropped or pastured was not considered. Because many nonorganochlorine insecticides are more toxic than chlordane, there is a greater hazard to farm operators and workers hand- ling these materials. Organophosphorus and carbamate insecticides are less persistent than the organQ,chlorines. In some cases, they need to be applied more frequently, resulting in adverse effects to beneficial insects. But for this study, it was assumed that one application of a nonorganochlorine insecticide replaces one application of chlordane on crops• Costs of substitutes and value of yield losses are for 1971. The com acreage treated with chlordane in 1971 is based on a recently com- pleted field survey. 11/ For other crops, except citrus and certain

2/ Based on discussion with Samuel C. Billings, Chief Entomologist, Pesticide Regulation Division, Environmental Protection Agency. 10/ The effectiveness of nonorganochlorine insecticides may vary more from year to year than that of chlordane. Although moisture is needed to activate both chlordane and nonorganochlorine insecticides, too much rainfall can move the nonorganochlorines down too deep into the soil, rendering them ineffective and making additional treatments necessary. The frequency of this occurrence is not known. 11/ Preliminary data from Pesticide Use--1971 Objective Yield Survey, U.S. Dept. of Agr., Econ. Res. Serv., Farm Prod. Econ. Div., unpublished. vegetables, it was assumed that the 1971 acreage treated with chlordane was the same as that reported in 1966. _12/ Citrus and vegetable acreages treated with chlordane in 1966 were adjusted to reflect 1971 use.

Cost of Substitute Materials

Insecticides used to replace chlordane would have added $1.56 million to farm production costs in 1971 (table 3). Of this, about 90 percent would have been for com production and about 7 percent for potato production. The added cost of substitute insecticides for tobacco, tomatoes, vegetables, and strawberries would have ranged from $12,000 to $14,000 per crop. For cotton production, the added cost would have been only about $1,000. Com producers' costs would have increased about $1.4 million. For insect control on com, a mixture of carbaryl and diazinon is an effective substitute for chlordane. Carbaryl controls cutworms and diazinon controls other soil insects. This mixture is considerably more expensive than chlordane--$8.80 an acre, compared with $2.03 an acre. Fairly good wireworm control in potatoes can be achieved and yields can be maintained with several insecticides such as Dyfonate, diazinon, or phorate. Losses in quality may result, however. Where cutworms are a problem, carbaryl needs to be added to the insecticides used to control wireworms. The added cost to potato growers for replacing chlordane would have been $108,000. The added cost to tomato producers for insecticides to replace chlordane would have been $12,000 in 1971. Tomato producers can control cutworms, which are a major problem, with carbaryl at a cost of $5.60 an acre, compared with $4.05 when chlordane is used. Some producers using carbaryl may have a problem with wireworms, but overall damage would be small. For tobacco production in some States, parathion is a recommended alternative to chlordane for controlling wireworms. In 1971, the additional cost for treating 17,000 acres of tobacco with parathion instead of chlordane would have been $14,000. On vegetables and strawberries, the cost for alternative insecticides would have been $9.00 an acre, compared with $6.75 for chlordane-- a total of $14,000 in added costs on 6,000 acres. Diazinon will control wireworms and possibly cabbage loopers on leafy vegetables and crops with edible portions below the ground. On strawberries, diazinon gives fairly good control for ants, crickets, and soil insects. Chlordane (mixed with 1 pound of DDT) is recommended for the control of bollwoxm in cotton production. An EPN + methyl parathion mixture is a recommended substitute for the chlordane + DDT mixture. The

12/ The 1966 Pesticide and General Farm Survey, conducted by the Economic Research Service, is the latest available comprehensive survey on the extent of U.S. farm pesticide use. However, in recent years, there have been some restrictions placed on the use of aldrin, dieldrin, DDT, and heptachlor in crop production for which chlordane may have been used as a replacement. Table 3.--Additional cost of using alternative insecticides instead of chlordane, selected crops, 1971 \l

Added cost Cost per acre ll Total added Estimated acres per acre for cost of using Crop Alternative alternative treated with Chlordane alternative insecticide insecticide chlordane treatment insecticides 3/ treatment materials

Dollars Dollars Dollars 1,000 acres 1,000 dollars

Corn 2.03 8.80 6.77 208 1,408 Cotton 1.70 1.88 .18 6 1 Tobacco 2.70 3.50 .80 17 14 Potatoes 6.75 9.60 2.85 38 108 Tomatoes 4.05 5.60 1.55 4/8 12 a\ Vegetables and strawberries- 6.75 9.00 2.25 4/6 14

Total 5.50 283 1,557

1/ Includes only additional materials costs. Data on yield losses are shown in table 4. "ll Derivation of these costs is shown in appendix table 3. Includes only costs of materials--that is, daTa assume that application costs for chlordane and alternative insecticides are the same. 3/ Added cost of alternative insecticide times acreage treated with chlordane and rounded to the nearest $1,000. 4/ For tomato and "other vegetable" acreage, data were estimated by first determining average 1970-71 California acreage of each of these crops as a percentage of total California vegetable acreage treated with chlordane. California distributions were then multiplied by the 23,000 acres of U.S. vegetables treated with chlordane in 1966. Then, vegetables for which chlordane was no longer recommended in 1969-71 were eliminated from the analysis, leaving an estimated 5,000 acres of U.S. vegetables treated with chlordane in 1971. added cost to cotton farmers for using EPN + methyl parathion would have been only $1,000, or less than 20 cents an acre. Although chlordane is used on hay, pasture, and some other crops, substitute insecticides could be used without appreciably affecting production costs. For example, malathion could be used at no extra cost to control grasshoppers in hay and pasture production. There are no effective nonorganochlorine substitute insecticides to control termites in citrus. The effect of discontinuing chlordane use on citrus is in terms of the value of yield losses.

Value of Yield Losses

For citrus, strawberries, and certain vegetables, alternative insecticides are not totally effective substitutes for chlordane. Using alternative insecticides on these crops would most likely result in production losses. In 1971, the total value of these yield losses would have been about $283,000 (table 4). Chlordane was used on an estimated 3,000 acres of citrus in 1971. Without chlordane, it is estimated that termites would have damaged 5 percent of the trees planted on this acreage. The cost of replanting trees damaged by termites and subsequent losses due to delayed fruit bearing would have amounted to about $93,000. Yield losses are estimated to be 3.3 percent for strawberries and an average of 3.0 percent for beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, lettuce, melons, pumpkins, radishes, rutabagas, squash, and turnips..13/ Of these crops, only 6,000 acres were treated with chlordane in l'57l. Hence, it was assumed that a de- cline in production on these acres would not have influenced consumer prices. The value of production from an acre of strawberries would have been reduced by $75 if a substitute insecticide had been used. Only 1,000 acres of strawberries were treated with chlordane in 1971, so the total loss would have been $75,000. Although this aggregate loss is not great, the impact on individual producers using chlordane would have been severe. For the vegetables listed above, the 3-percent average yield loss applies to about 5,000 acres. The value of production from an acre of these vegetables would have decreased an average of about $23. Losses for the 5,000 acres would have been $115,000. For potatoes planted in areas with heavy infestations of wireworms, the alternative insecticides are not as effective as chlordane. In such areas--generally land that has been in the soilbank or planted to rye-- some loss in potato quality could result if a substitute insecticide were used. 14/ Although estimates of potato acreage planted in such

13/ Based on data in Losses in Agriculture, U.S. Dept. of Agr., Agr. Res. Serv., Agr. Handbook 291, Aug. 1965. 14/ Based on discussions with John Lofgren, Extension Entomologist, Univ. of Minn., St. Paul, Minn., and Edward Micka, U.S. Dept. of Agr., Econ. Res. Serv., Farm Prod. Econ. Div., Orono, Maine. Table 4.--Value of yield losses for citrus if no insecticide had been used, and for strawberries and selected vegetables if alternative insecticides instead of chlordane had been used, 1971

Loss in Estimated Value of Total value value of acreage treated production of production Crop production with per acre losses 1/ per acre chlordane

Dollars Dollars 1,000 acres 1,000 dollars

Citrus 2/ 2/31 3/3 93 Strawberries 4/2,275 5/75 6/1 75 Vegetables-- 4/780 7/23 8/5 115

Total 9/31 9 283

\l Loss in value of production per acre times total acreage treated with chlordane.

ll For citrus, the value of production per acre cannot be used directly to compute yield losses. Yield loss data are based on (a) cost of replacing newly planted trees damaged by termites, plus (b) losses due to delayed fruit bearing on newly planted replacement trees, minus (c) reduced cost of not using an insecticide for termite control:

(a) An estimated 3,000 citrus acres were infested with termites in 1971. On about 150--or 5 percent--of the acres, trees had to be replaced at a cost of $2.10 per tree ($0.50 for labor and $1.60 for the tree). An estimated 70 trees were replanted per acre, so per acre costs were about $147. For the 150 acres, the cost was about $22,050.

(b) About 6 years are required for a citrus tree to reach fruit-bearing age. The 1971 value of delayed citrus production from replanted trees was determined by discounting the gross returns of an acre of citrus at 6 percent a year. The average value of production from an acre of citrus is about $550.

Of the 150-acre equivalents of citrus trees replanted each year, it is estimated that on 85 acres the trees are 1 year old and on 65 acres the trees are 2 years old. The loss in gross returns is $46,750 ($550 X 85 acres) for trees lost after 1 year and $71,500 ($1,100 x 65 acres) for trees lost after 2 years. The present value of delayed citrus production is $77,297--$31,091 (1 year's production lost) for the 1-year-old trees and $46,206 (2 year's production) for the 2-year-old trees damaged by termites.

(c) Citrus growers' 1971 production costs would have been reduced by about $6,075 if no insecticide had been used to control termites on citrus trees. About 4,500 pounds of chlordane (3,000 acres times 1.5 pounds per acre) were used in new plantings in 1971 at a cost of $1.35 a pound.

-Continued Footnotes, Continued--

The net added cost to citrus growers would have been $93,272--$22,050 for replanting trees plus $77,297 for losses due to delayed production minus $6,075 saved by not having used an insecticide to control termites.

The above calculations were based on discussions with Robert Bullock, Entomologist, Univ. of Fla., Citrus Expt. Sta., Gainesville, Fla.

3/ It is estimated that 17,000 acres of new citrus plantings are made each year. Acreage infested with termites is estimated to be 10 percent, or 1,700 acres, the first year and 7.5 percent, or 1,275 acres, the second year. Thus, total 1971 citrus acreage treated with chlordane was about 3,000 acres.

4/ Average value of production per planted acre for strawberries and broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, lettuce, cantaloupes, and melons is calculated from information in Vegetables--Fresh Market, 1971 Annual Summary, U.S. Dept. of Agr., Stat. Rptg. Serv., Vg2-2(71). This analysis does not consider the possibility of losses in potato quality that might result if an alternative insecticide instead of chlordane had been used in 1971.

5/ Assumes a 3.3-percent yield loss on 1,000 acres of strawberries due to wireworms, even though diazinon would have been substituted for chlordane on these acres. Yield loss estimate based on information in Losses in Agriculture, U.S. Dept. of Agr., Agr. Res. Serv., Agr. Handbook 291, Aug. 1965.

j6/ Assumes that of the 51,000 acres of strawberries planted in 1971, about 2 percent was treated with chlordane.

2/ Assumes a 3-percent yield loss on 5,000 acres of vegetables from cabbage loopers in lettuce, and from cutworms and other insects in celery, even though diazinon would have been substituted for chlordane on these acres. Yield loss estimate based on information in Losses in Agriculture, U.S. Dept. of Agr., Agr. Res. Serv., Agr. Handbook 291, Aug. 1965.

8^/ The 5,000 acres of vegetables were estimated by first determining average 1970-71 California acreage of each of these crops as a percentage of total California vegetable acreage treated with chlordane. California distributions were then multiplied by the 23,000 acres of U.S. vegetables treated with chlordane in 1966. Then, vegetables for which chlordane was no longer recommended in 1969-71 were eliminated from the analysis, leaving an estimated 5,000 acres of U.S. vegetables treated with chlordane in 1971. ^

9/ Total value of production losses divided by estimated acreage treated with chlordane in 1971. land in 1971 are not available, the acreage is assumed to be small. Hence, no estimate of the value of losses in potato quality is included in this report.

Total Additional Costs

The total added cost to U.S. farmers for replacing chlordane with nonorganochlorine insecticides in 1971 would have been $1.84 million (table 5) —$1.56 million for substitute insecticides and $0.28 million in production losses (tables 3 and 4). For com producers, the added costs would have been $1.4 million--all for substitute insecticides.

Table 5.--Additional materials costs and value of yield losses if alternative insecticides instead of chlordane had been used, selected crops, 1971

Additional costs and yield Estimated acres losses without chlordane treated with Crop _1/ chlordane, Per acre Total 4/ 1971 2/ treated 3/

1,000 acres Dollars 1,000 dollars

Corn 208 6.77 1,408 Cotton 6 .18 1 Citrus 3 31.00 93 Tobacco 17 .80 14 Potatoes 38 2.85 108 Tomatoes--" 8 1.55 12 Other crops 5/ 6 33.92 204

All crops 286 6.43 1,840

\l Includes only those crops for which chlordane was a recommended pest treatment in 1969-71. Chlordane use on livestock and livestock premises is not included because such use is now restricted and more effective alternative insecticides are available. 2/ Based on Theodore Eichers and others. Quantities of Pesticides Used by Farmers, 1966, U.S. Dept. of Agr., Econ. Res. Serv., Agr. Econ. Rpt. 179, Apr. 1970, except for corn data, which is based on unpublished preliminary data in Pesticide Use—1971 Objective Yield Survey, U.S. Dept. of Agr., Econ. Res. Serv., Farm Prod. Econ. Div. 3/ Additional materials costs and value of yield losses divided by estimated acres treated with chlordane. 4/ Additional materials costs from table 3 plus value of yield losses from table 4. 5^/ Beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, lettuce, melons, pumpkins, radishes, rutabagas, squash, strawberries, and turnips.

10 Vegetable and strawberry producers would have had additional costs of $204,000--$14,000 for substitute insecticides and $190,000 in production losses. The additional cost for potato producers would have been $108,000 for substitute insecticides. Citrus growers would have incurred a loss of $93,000, which includes costs of replacing newly planted trees damaged by termites and subsequent delays in production. Producers of tomatoes, tobacco, and cotton would have had additional costs of $12,000, $14,000, and about $1,000, respectively--all for substitute insecticides.

CHANGES IN QUANTITY OF INSECTICIDES USED

Discontinuing chlordane for farm uses would have reduced the 1971 quantity of chlordane used by an estimated 601,000 pounds (table 6). Use of DDT, which is mixed with chlordane for use in cotton, would have declined by an estimated 6,000 pounds. Carbaryl and diazinon use would have increased by 505,000 and 434,000 pounds, respectively--primarily for use in corn production. Potato producers would have used 114,000 pounds of phorate and 57,000 pounds of carbaryl to replace 190,000 poiinds of chlordane. Tobacco producers would have substituted an estimated 34,000 pounds of parathion. A mixture of EPN + methyl parathion would have been used by cotton producers to replace chlordane + DDT.

11 Table 6,--Changes in total quantities of chlordane and alternative insecticides used if farm use of chlordane had been discontinued, 1971

Pounds of active ingredients \l Crop : Chlordane : DDT : Diazinon : Phorate : Carbaryl : EPN : Parathion : p^^^^hion

------j^^uuu pounds------

Corn \ -312 — 4416 — -+416 C 0 tt 0 n---"-"•--"-"-""-"-""•""""" " -6 -6 " " — +3 — +3 íIO Citrus 2/' • Tobacco------—------: -34 — — — - - +34 Potatoes : -190 — " +114 +57 Tomatoes---"-""""""""""""""""""" . -24 - " - +32 Vegetables and strawberries ; -30 — +18

All crops \ -601 -6 4434 +114 +505 +3 +34 +3 i

y Estimated acres treated with chlordane in 1971 (table 3) times the quantity of active ingredients applied per acre ¿app. table 3}• 2/ No effective substitute materials were available. Appendix table 1.--Quantity of chlordane used on selected crops, by region, United States, 1966

Pounds of active ingredients used in-- Crop North- Lake Corn Appa- South- [ Delta \ Moun- Pacific All east States Belt lachian east ' States ' tain regions

■1,000 pounds-

Corn 1/ 31 92 36 — 159 Cotton— 3 — 3 Tobacco 4 11 11 -- 26 Other field crops 1 -- 1 Alfalfa 41 — 41 u Other hay and pasture " — 6 Potatoes--- — 5 123 27 -- 155 Other vegetables 3 3 12 18 Citrus-- 15 1/ 15 Apples 3 3 All other fruits and nuts 21 3 24 Nursery and greenhouse 1/ -- 1 All crops- 13 154 119 11 74 22 41 18 452

1/ Less than 500 pounds used. Source: 1966 Pesticide and General Farm Survey, U.S. Dept. of Agr., Econ. Res. Serv. Appendix table 2.--Acreage of selected crops treated with chlordane, by region. United States, 1966

Acreage treated with chlordane in- Crop North- Corn Appa- South- Delta Moun- All Lake Pacific east States Belt lachian east States tain regions

■1,000 acres-

Corn 85 102 20 210 6 6 Tobacco 15 1 17 Other field crops 2 2 Alfalfa 7 36 36 Other hay and pasture 16 23 Potatoes 5 30 38 Other vegetables-' 4 4 15 23 Citrus • 80 3 83 Apples 3 3 Other fruit and nuts 28 3 31 Nursery and greenhouse 1/ 1/ 1/

2/ Acreage not available.

Source: 1966 Pesticide and General Farm Survey, U.S. Dept. of Agr., Econ. Res. Serv. Appendix table 3.--Costs of using chlordane and alternative insecticides, by crop, United States, 1971 \l

Chlordane Alternative insecticides Quantity of Quantity of Cost per Cost per active active Crop pound of Cost per pound of Cost per ingredient Insecticide ingredient active acre active acre applied applied \ ingredient ingredient per acre per acre

Pounds Dollars Dollars Pounds Dollars Dollars

Com 1.5 1.35 2.03 Diazinon + 2.0 3.00 6.00 Carbaryl 2.0 1.40 2.80 8.80

Cotton 2/------1.0 1.35 1.70 EPN + methyl 0.5 2.00 1.00 parathion .5 1.75 0.88 1.88

Tobacco 2.0 1.35 2.70 Parathion 2,0 1.75 3.50 ui Potatoes 5.0 1.35 6.75 Phorate + 3.0 2.50 7.50 Carbaryl 1.5 1.40 2.10 9.60

Tomatoes 3/ 3.0 1.35 4.05 Carbaryl 4.0 1.40 5.60

Vegetables and strawberries 4/ 5.0 1.35 6.75 Diazinon 3.0 3.00 9.00

2/ Based on 1969-71 USDA- and State-recommended application rates for chlordane and control practices. Where chlordane had been used earlier but was no longer being recommended in 1970 or 1971, no additional costs were estimated. Thus, except for citrus and strawberries, there were no added costs estimated for fruits. Also, there were no added costs estimated for vegetables (other than those listed in footnote 4) and field crops other than corn and tobacco, ll One lb. of DDT must be used with the chlordane to control bollworms. The total cost per acre is $1.35 for 1 lb. of chlordane plus $0.35 for 1 lb. of DDT, or a total of $1.70 an acre. EPN + methyl parathion substitutes for the combined use of chlordane and DDT to control bollworms. 3/ It was assumed that chlordane was used every other year, but that carbaryl would be used every year. Thus, the quantity of carbaryl needed to get the same control over time as with 3 pounds of chlordane is 2 applications at 2 pounds an acre or a total of 4 pounds. 4/ Includes beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, lettuce, melons, pumpkins, radishes, rutabagas, squash, strawberries, and turnips. This alternative control is not completely adequate and a 3-percent loss was assumed on the group except on strawberries where a 3.3-percent yield loss from soil insects was assumed. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON. D.Ç. 20250 POSTAGE AND FEES PAID OFFICIAL BUSINESS .^.^U^. DEPARTMENT OF \ AGRICULTURE PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE. S300

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