See guidance information from UF/IFAS’s Pesticide Information Office on the FDA’s plan for handling food that was treated with chlorpyrifos.
As of February 28th, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stopped the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on all food. According to a UF/IFAS Tip of the Week, the EPA released a legal description that was “challenging to fully understand,” so the Pesticide Information Office from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has tried to provide more direct guidance for growers concerning the FDA’s plans for dealing with food that has been treated with the now-banned pesticide. See the guidance below.
Guidance on Banned Chlorpyrifos
According to the Tip of the Week, the information is as follows:
- “Any food treated with or exposed to chlorpyrifos on or after Feb. 28 that tests for any chlorpyrifos residue is considered adulterated and unsellable.”
- “Any food treated with or exposed to chlorpyrifos before Feb. 28 that tests above the tolerance level is considered adulterated and unsellable.”
- “Any food treated with or exposed to chlorpyrifos legally before Feb. 28 that tests for residues that fall below the tolerances in place before Feb. 28 is not deemed adulterated.”
According to the article, “recordkeeping requirement for restricted-use products is two years. The FDA is extending the tolerance allowance, as described above, for frozen, preserved and processed goods until Aug. 28, 2026. It is strongly recommended that growers maintain all records related to” the pesticides.
Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.