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NAFTA partners' five-year pesticide plan
Jul. 31, 2008
The pesticide regulatory authorities in the US, Canada and Mexico are committed to working more closely together to co-ordinate the registration of new and existing pesticides and to extend the process to re-registration activities. These are the broad goals laid out in the latest five-year plan of the NAFTA Technical Working Group (TWG) on pesticides for 2008-2013.
The TWG’s ongoing joint review and work-sharing programmes for new pesticides are seen as an effective means to reduce technology gaps between NAFTA countries and to avoid potential disparities in maximum residue limits (MRLs). Over the next five years, the NAFTA partners will compare work plans to look for areas of co-operation on new pesticides and major use expansions. They will also consider co-operation in a global context, including joint reviews and work-share reviews with partners outside the NAFTA region.
The US and Canadian authorities will use the work plan comparison exercise to discuss joint submission candidates in both countries, with reduced-risk pesticides continuing to be a priority. Mexico will continue to increase its participation in work-sharing arrangements to the extent that this is possible. The US and Canadian authorities will share data reviews with Mexican regulators and seek opportunities for sharing expertise.
The TWG will continue to support the development of NAFTA labels for agricultural and non-agricultural pesticides. The US and Canadian authorities approved the first NAFTA label for Gowan’s herbicide, Far-Go/Avadex (triallate), in early 2007. Since then, three more NAFTA labels have been established: Dow AgroSciences’ fungicide, Gavel (zoxamide + mancozeb); Dow’s herbicide, Simplicity (pyroxsulam); and Syngenta’s herbicide, Reflex (fomesafen).
Joint reviews and work sharing in the NAFTA region have tended to focus on new pesticides. However, the TWG believes that re-registration activities could benefit from a similar approach. The US and Canadian authorities have agreed to map out re-registration and re-evaluation work plans and to identify opportunities to co-operate. They will identify pilot candidates for work sharing and finalise plans to identify further candidates for joint work over the next five years.
The NAFTA partners will also seek to develop collaborative transition strategies for pesticides being phased out in the region. Work will be based on the existing pilot project for the organophosphate insecticide, azinphos-methyl, while other candidates for such projects will be identified.
The resolution of trade irritants due to MRL differences will continue under the TWG’s five-year plan. The partners have endorsed the shift from a commodity-based approach to a chemical-based system for addressing MRL disparities. Grower groups will develop priority lists of active ingredient/use combinations with registrants for the regulatory agencies to address. Work on three commodity-based projects (pulses, tomatoes and potatoes) will continue in the US and Canada during the transition, while Mexico will participate in a fourth project on avocados.
Other areas highlighted in the five-year plan are: the harmonisation of remaining technical data requirements; co-ordinated efforts on environmental protection and human health monitoring; communication and planning; and maintaining high international standards. The proposed plan is open to public comment until August 21st.
Source: NAFTA
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