Midwest Carbofuran Field Tour

Indiana/Illinois  -  July 19-20, 2007

Attendees

EPA:  Arnet (Skee) Jones (BEAD), TJ Wyatt (BEAD), Christopher Salice
(EFED), Mike Mendelsohn (BPPD), Susan Lewis (SRRD), Stephanie Plummer
(SRRD), Barbara VanTil (Region 5)

FMC:  Don Carlson, Rick Kessler, John Cummings, Bob Wooten

Growers:  Dennis Nolan, Blue Mound, IL; Terry Ferguson, Rod Wilson, and
Bob Kuntz, Clinton, IL; Mike McLaughlin, Leroy, IL; Marv Robinson,
Beason, IL

Purpose

At the request of FMC, EPA employees visited two corn farms in Illinois
and an experimental farm at the University of Illinois to learn more
about the need for carbofuran as a rescue treatment after crops have
sustained damage by the corn rootworm (CRW).  They met with farmers, a
university extension agent, and independent crop consultants.  They also
met with an IPM specialist from Purdue that was separate from the FMC
requested trip.  This trip was in follow-up to the Agency’s decision
to cancel all carbofuran uses through the carbofuran IRED, signed in
August 2006.

Thursday, July 19th

In the morning, the EPA employees went to Purdue University and met with
John Obermeyer, an IPM Specialist with the Diagnostic Training and
Research Center.  Mr. Obermeyer explained how and when Purdue recommends
that carbofuran be used in corn production.

In the afternoon, EPA drove to Champaign/Urbana and met with Dr. Kevin
Steffey, an Extension Specialist with the University of Illinois.  The
FMC employees were also present.  Dr. Steffey spoke with the group about
CRW damage to corn, why it has been getting worse in recent years, and
how it is controlled by either planting Bt corn, or treating refuge corn
with insecticides, such as carbofuran.  Dr. Steffey then showed the
group some field plots where he has been testing different pesticides
and combinations of pesticides on corn.

Friday, July 20th

The EPA and FMC employees visited two farms where late season rescue
treatments to corn with carbofuran had been made.  Ken Ferrie and a
second independent crop consultant with Crop Tech, Inc., were also with
the group at both sites.  The farmers who had made the treatments were
clients of Crop Tech.  The group saw examples of damage done by corn
rootworm, and how the crops had been apparently rescued before too much
damage was done.  They also saw demonstrations of how insecticides are
applied to corn by aerial (Rick Reed) and ground equipment.

