FDACS—PESTICIDE REVIEW COUNCIL INFORMATION DATA ANALYSIS NEEDS COMPILATION COUNCIL DATA ANALYSIS NEEDS DISCUSSION BACKGROUND INFORMATION OVERVIEW INFORMATION DATA ANALYSIS NEEDS AGENDA TOPIC INTRODUCTION At the September 2012 meeting Jeff Blair reported that the purpose of the agenda item was to tee- up a discussion at the September meeting and to ensure members understand the topic and have time to prepare comments in advance of the meeting. Jeff explained that the Council is being asked to consider whether from their individual perspectives there is any type of information or data they believe should be provided to the Council relevant to their scope and charge. The agenda item was suggested by Joe Gaudino (chair) and he provided written comments explaining his thoughts regarding the topic. Following are Joe’s comments: Joe suggested identifying several key metrics that provide important perspective on the overall progress, or deficiencies, in the field of pesticide management. These metrics could then be tracked by the council over time and might be included in the annual report. The metrics or questions could address a variety of subjects such as: 1. The efficacy of pesticide use a. Are pesticides keeping up with the threats and challenges presented in agriculture and other areas? b. What constraints limit the efficacy of pesticide use? c. Can we measure trends relative to the problem of pesticide resistance? 2. The safety of pesticides a. What pesticides have been removed from the market as a result of safety concerns? b. In what areas have pesticides become safer or less toxic? c. What pesticides are at risk for removal in the near future? 3. The quantities of pesticides applied year to year a. What materials are used in the greatest volume? b. What materials are increasing in usage? c. What materials are decreasing in usage? 4. The growth of pesticide alternatives such as biological controls a. Are biological controls making a significant contribution to pesticide control? b. What barriers exist that prevent the widespread use and adoption of pesticide alternatives? c. What trends can we identify regarding the use of pesticide alternatives over time? Data Analysis Needs 1 Joe noted that it may be possible to limit the PRC’s inquiry to information that is currently available or to seek assistance from the University System in providing information or studying questions they deem significant and worth pursuing. Summary of Discussion at the May 15, 2012 PRC Meeting: • Steve Dwinell: proposed that there was a need to fine-tune the topics because of the vastness of the subject. The Council needs to ensure that the focus of the inquiry is relevant to their scope and mission. • The other issue is determining what information is actually available and what resources would be needed to provide the information in terms of time, personnel, research, etc. • Tim Fitzpatrick: asked who the audience was. Important to know whether the PRC is providing relevant information. Steve Dwinell: offered that it might be useful to develop a pesticide primer along the lines of the mosquito control handbook developed by the FCCMC. Dennis Howard: suggested that staff could look into generic information to streamline development of a handbook effort. Brian Katz suggested looking at available information before planning a course of action (the handbook effort may be an overwhelming project). Dan Botts: indicated that he has spent a 35-year career trying to develop a handbook (with great effort and little success). • FDACS will provide information/links to questions already posed, showing what type of information is available. Once members receive an update on what is available they will send their thoughts on what information data needs they think should be explored by the Council. • Jeff Blair will send members an e-mail asking that they identify other information/data need requests for discussion at the September meeting (in addition to Joe’s suggestions). The FDACS response was sent to members on August 15, 2012 with a deadline of August 22, 2012 for submitting comments for compilation and distribution. MEMBER COMMENTS Mel Kyle: 1. The efficacy of pesticide use: a. Are pesticides keeping up with the threats and challenges presented in agriculture and other areas? A = For the most part YES. Thanks to the pesticide registrants for their discovery and synthesis, along with assistance from the university researchers and programs to evaluate for biological efficacy, environmental risk and food safety. Also critical to this “keeping up” is an USEPA registration and the effectiveness of FDACS-AES to register and regulate pesticide use in Florida. b. What constraints limit the efficacy of pesticide use? Is the product efficacious in the first place? A = If the product is not efficacious when used according to the label, the registrant would not go to the time and expense to obtain a registration. Also the market will eliminate it in short order. Constraints to limit the efficacy of pesticide use include (1) label use restrictions, (2) cost, (3) application technology and methods needed to reach the target, (4) application timing and requirements, (5) weather conditions, (6) environmental restraints, (7) etc. Data Analysis Needs 2 c. Can we measure trends relative to the problem of pesticide use? A = YES to a degree, as long as the exercise is balanced with the trends relative to the advantages and benefits of pesticide use! 2. The safety of pesticides: a. What pesticides have been removed from the market as a result of safety concerns? A = Removed by whom, federal, state, registrants, etc.? What time period, last how many years? Reasons = safety to human health (food, potable water, worker protection), drift to non target crops and sites, etc. With relation to the state of Florida, this would be an FDACS-AES question to answer. b. In what areas have pesticides become safer or less toxic? A = All areas of pesticide use have become safer or less toxic over the last 50+ years through the use of good science and research for application technology, GMO crops, basic biological research in pest behavior, biology, life cycles, etc.; regulations and enforcement; 4-R’s = right source/product, right rate, right time & place. c. What pesticides are at risk for removal in the near future? A = Methyl Bromide is in the process of being removed, otherwise none that I am aware of at least from the State of Florida. A question for FDACS-AES. 3. The quantities of pesticides applied year to year: a. What materials are used in the greatest volume? A = Question for FDACS-AES. b. What materials are increasing in usage? A = Question for FDACS-AES. c. What materials are decreasing in usage? A = Question for FDACS-AES. 4. The growth of pesticide alternatives such a biological controls: a. Are biological controls making a significant contribution to pesticide control? A = Define biological organism as a living beneficial organism used to control a non-beneficial organism. YES in certain areas and conditions. Not so much in large mono-copying venues where high yields and crop rotations are required for supplying in large numbers and large quantities i.e. feeding the world. b. What barriers exist that prevent the widespread use and adoption of pesticide alternatives? A = Economics! Practical application and containment to the target. Production/rearing the control agent(s). Transporting living organisms from production/rearing site to target site. Environmental conditions and challenges of any introduced living organism. Handling by humans throughout the whole process from production/rearing to field application. Establishment of an introduced living organism to a new environment. Biological establishment and persistence/survival. c. What trends can we identify regarding the use of pesticide alternatives over time? A = Pesticide alternatives will always be in play for pest control but will not totally replace pesticides when “feeding the world” and in 3rd world countries where application and establishment of biological controls are impractical. Data Analysis Needs 3 Bill Caton: 2. The safety of pesticides: Adverse incidents resulting from pesticide use a) Incidents of confirmed pesticide misuse 1. Application rate violation 2. Violation of label use restrictions 3. Improper container disposal 4. Etc. b) Incidents resulting in human health problems c) Incidents resulting in environmental harm, e.g. fish kill, bird kill, etc. I believe this information could be used to identify trends and possibly specific areas/issues that the PRC could recommend changes to the Commissioner that might reduce adverse incidents. Richard Pfeiffer: 3. The quantities of pesticides applied year to year: One item that is at the beginning of all the issues is what and how much of a pesticide is being used in Florida. But, as pointed out, Florida does not have a legal reporting requirement nor the budget to do appropriate surveys. With the current situation, I was wondering if IFAS/University of Gainesville could be leveraged by utilizing the students to do this work. Potentially using this as a class or individual student exercise? That way if a particular pesticide issue is identified, an evaluation could be done to see if it could be a Florida problem. The suggestion of developing a handbook is a good idea. It could cover the national based process/procedures and well as items that are specific to Florida. 2. The safety of pesticides: Finally, I also think it is quite the irony that some of the old long ago banned pesticides are still a major environmental concern. Which also brings up that there is one more need (and it is part of the workplan; C3) of a better/more adequate means of evaluation of environmental residues of pesticides. Joe Gaudino: I appreciate the thorough response to my questions about data metrics and information resources that would be beneficial to the PRC.