EPA OKs Stink Bug Spray For Orchards In 7 States
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) -- Fruit growers in seven Eastern states have a new weapon for fighting the brown marmorated stink bug.
The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday it has granted an emergency exemption allowing orchards in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia to use the insecticide dinotefuran.
The exemption is for this growing season. It expires Oct. 15.
The states had sought the measure after suffering significant losses from the invasive Asian insect last year.
The exemption allows the use of two products containing dinotefuran. They are Venom Insecticide, made by Valent USA Corp., and Scorpion 35SL, made by Gowan Company LLC.
Those products aren't registered for orchard application. The states sought the exemption to help growers fight an expected explosion in stink bug numbers this year.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
