ND Department of Agriculture Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOVEMBER 5, 2009

ANNUAL PESTICIDE FORUM SLATED

BISMARCK – The 2009 Agriculture Commissioner’s Pesticide Forum will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 19, in Brynhild Haugland Room of the State Capitol in Bismarck.

“The forum brings together stakeholders, interested individuals and government to discuss pest management and pesticide issues,” said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. “It is also an opportunity for the Agriculture Department to bring participants up to date on pesticide regulatory issues such as recent changes to the state pesticide law, EPA’s bulk pesticide container and containment regulation and similar topics.”

Goehring said the morning session will focus on gathering input from growers and the North Dakota State University Extension Service on new and emerging pest problems.

“This will help us develop a working list of exemptions to seek from the Environmental Protection Agency for the 2010 growing season,” Goehring said. “We will also hear reports from manufacturers and distributors on new or upcoming pesticide registration actions that will impact North Dakota.”

The commissioner said the afternoon session will focus on a federal court case, National Cotton Council vs EPA,that centers on the overlap between federal pesticide law and the Clean Water Act.

“This ruling could seriously impact pesticide use in North Dakota, since it requires a pollution discharge elimination permit for applications in, on or near surface water,” Goehring said. “We will brief participants on the case, and then North Dakota Department of Health personnel will discuss how a permitting system might work.”

The forum is open to the public.

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MEDIA: For more information, please contact Ted Quanrud at (701) 328-2233 or tquanrud@nd.gov.