05/26/06 Potato growers educate EPA

Farm and Ranch May 26, 2006 It wasn't quite popcorn and a movie but it was a potato planter on video , plus some props, right in the Washington D.C. offices of the Environmental Protection Agency. Chris Voigt, Executive Director of the Washington State Potato Commission, along with a delegation of growers, were working on the re-registration of aldicarb or Temik, a granular insecticide. Voigt says since they couldn't bring the EPA officials out to Washington state, they did the next best thing, brought Washington to them in the form of a video. Voigt: "So we showed them how we use this chemical. How we reduce exposure to workers. There is a great "lock 'n load" system for this product where it comes in a container that you essentially screw on to your plant so there is actually no exposure whatsoever to the worker handling this product. We also demonstrated the technology of our planters with our positive displacement applicators. How these are not leaving any granules on the service that might be exposed to wildlife or bids. It is actually burying it about ten inches in the soil. So it was a great video and a chance for the EPA to see first hand how we use these products." Voigt says the EPA people got to try "lock'n load." Voigt: "And we actually brought unused empty containers into their office to show them how the "lock 'n load" procedure works and had them actually screw it on to planter lids. So they got to see first hand how the exposure is very limited when you use that product." That's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today! Good health tomorrow! I'm Bob Hoff on the Northwest Ag Information Network.