EPA releases draft guidance for plant regulator label claims (including plant biostimulants)
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On March 27, 2019, EPA announced the availability of the long-awaited draft guidance document for plant regulator and plant biostimulant claims.  The draft guidance, entitled “Guidance for Plant Regulator Label Claims, Including Plant Biostimulants,” is open for comment until May 28, 2019.

The document is intended to provide clarity with regard to label statements considered to be plant regulator claims and, therefore, subject to regulation as a pesticide.  Additionally, it provides useful information for producers of plant biostimulant products of the types of claims EPA has determined will not be subject to registration at the federal level.

The draft guidance document can be found here.

PRIA 4 enacted into law
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On Friday, March 8, 2019, the Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act of 2018 (PRIA 4) was signed into law.  This new legislation reauthorizes PRIA for five years through fiscal year 2023, and updates the fee collection provisions of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).  This legislation also reflects changes to some registration fee categories and timeframes, and preserves some fee waivers for small businesses.  PRIA 4 is effective as of the date of signature (March 8, 2019).

Visit with us at the BPIA 2019 Annual Meeting and Symposium
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SciReg, Inc., will be attending the upcoming BPIA 2019 Annual Meeting and Symposium in Portland, Oregon from March 11-13, 2019. If you would like to arrange a meeting with a SciReg representative in Portland, please click here, or call telephone number (703) 494-6500.

PRIA 3 extended
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A Continuing Resolution was signed on January 25, 2019 to further extend PRIA 3 through February 15, 2019.  As a result, EPA has the authority to collect maintenance fees (as specified in PRIA 3), and PRIA Registration Service fees at the fiscal year 2017 levels through February 15, 2019.

Plant biostimulant language in 2018 U.S. Farm Bill
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The 2018 Farm Bill was signed into law on December 20, 2018.  The new law contains the first statutory language regarding plant biostimulants in the United States and includes a description of such products: “a substance or micro-organism that, when applied to seeds, plants, or the rhizosphere, stimulates natural processes to enhance or benefit nutrient uptake, nutrient efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stress, or crop quality and yield.”  This description is largely consistent with the plant biostimulant definition currently being pursued in the European Union.

The Farm Bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, states, and relevant stakeholders, to provide, by December 20, 2019, a report to Congress that “identifies any potential regulatory, non-regulatory, and legislative recommendations to ensure the efficient and appropriate review, approval, uniform national labeling, and availability of plant biostimulant products to agricultural producers.”  The definition of a plant biostimulant may also be modified during this process.

 

Extension to deadline for paying EPA annual pesticide registration maintenance fees
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Due to EPA’s late mailing of the 2019 annual pesticide registration maintenance fee information, and the U.S. Government shutdown, EPA has extended the deadline to submit maintenance fees and appropriate registration renewal forms.  The original deadline was January 15, 2019.  The new deadline is February 15, 2019

Expiration of PRIA 3
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UPDATE: see January 30, 2019 posting above regarding the extension of PRIA 3.

Because the US Congress did not include reauthorization of the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA) in the recently-passed Farm Bill, PRIA 3 expired on December 21, 2018.  In accordance with the phase-out provisions described in FIFRA Section 33(m)(2)(B), registration service fees for new applications received after December 21, 2018 will be reduced by 70% from the fiscal year 2017 levels.  In addition and unfortunately, such applications will not be subject to the decision review time frames specified in PRIA 3.

EPA operations are currently on hold due to the US government shutdown.  Pending change in EPA’s operational status, applications received after December 21, 2018 will be subject to these new provisions, and applications received on or prior to December 21, 2018, will continue to be reviewed under the decision time frames specified in PRIA 3.

EPA notice regarding receipt of submittals during the US government shutdown
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EPA has announced that, due to the US government shutdown, any electronic submissions to the Pesticide Submission Portal after December 28, 2018, will not be considered received or processed until after the EPA’s operational work status resumes.

Visit with us at the Annual Biocontrol Industry Meeting in Basel, Switzerland
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Jim Damico, President of SciReg, Inc., will be attending the upcoming 2018 Annual Biocontrol Industry Meeting (ABIM) in Basel, Switzerland, October 22-24, 2018. If you would like to arrange a meeting with Jim while in Basel, please click here, or call telephone number (703) 494-6500.

 

Visit with us at the BPIA 2018 Fall Meeting & Sustainability Symposium
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SciReg, Inc., will be attending the upcoming BPIA 2018 Fall Meeting & Sustainability Symposium in Rochester, New York, from October 9-10, 2018. If you would like to arrange a meeting with a SciReg representative in Rochester, please click here, or call telephone number (703) 494-6500.