Aminopyralid - Persistent Herbicide In Manure Causes Problems with Crops

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John

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Nicely said, Gobs.
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John

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gobs

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Plenty of concerned replies there, but what I found is rather disappointing. This article from 2001 might put it into perspective, what one can expect.

They 'have been trying hard' ever since to address the problem, with the known results.

LINK
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John

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This is a different chemical, introduced 2006 - similar results.

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gobs

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Yes, rather similar.

News back from our farmers, yes, they used it - I don't know, all those who didn't  :roll:  - , according to label, had no idea about this problem until we mentioned. Apparently, only new, improved label contains this info, purchused since the first problems last year.

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John

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Another option - maybe - would be to spread the manure on a patch of soil and rotovate it in. Then sow a green manure (mustard would be my choice) and rotovate that in. Repeat. Repeat.

In a heap, even turned, you could be looking at 2/3 years. You could try stacking alternate layers of manure / soil but I've no real idea how much if any this would help.

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John

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When I read up on pesticide residues in eggs, the Soil Association had a report saying a number had residues including substances not approved for use on laying hens.

I think the government test something like 1 in a million - maybe it was 30 million. Whatever, it was a very very small percentage. Reassuring isn't it?

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John

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I'm seeing some reports that it's had its licence suspended and has been withdrawn from the market.

I must say this is brilliant news, if true, but the toxic manure problem is likely to be with us for some years yet. Even in every farmer stops using his stock (possible, I suppose) then it is still in the system. Cattle are still eating and excreting this chemical. It could take 3 years to de-activate in a manure pile.

I’ve seen no official announcement on the PSD web site or DOW website.

Anyone with firm info - please let us know.

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glallotments

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John,
Yes it is true.

From the Hansard: link http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080722/text/80722w0009.htm

 The manufacturer has indicated that they are withdrawing products which contain aminopyralid from sale and PSD is formally suspending their authorisations while they investigate the options for preventing a recurrence of this problem. A key issue in their consideration will be whether the conditions of use regarding manure are sufficient, or sufficiently well known.

This implies it is temporary to me - don't know what you think and also I agree totally with your comments about the after effects so still a lot of publicity needs giving to the problem. Also I think it is not enough to withdraw a chemical if lessons haven't been learned about monitoring use so that we don't end up in the same position again.

Must also say that if it hadn't been for forums such as your publicising the isssue and others this problem may well have continued unmentioned so well done you!!
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glallotments

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Latest John:
Latest PSD update: http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/approvals.asp?id=2501

Partial quote:

PSD has already confirmed that using manure, which may contain residues of aminopyralid, does not have implications for human health. However, in response to the concerns of allotment holders and leisure gardeners about damage believed to result from these residues, PSD has been in contact with Dow AgroSciences Limited, the approval holder and data owner for the majority of aminopyralid products approved in the UK. Dow AgroSciences have asked for their approvals to be modified whilst the situation is under investigation.

PSD has accepted this and amended the approval of all products containing aminopyralid to suspend the approval for sale, supply, and use with immediate effect whilst further investigations are undertaken.

Storage is unaffected and it remains legal and safe for these products to be stored by anyone.

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John

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Thanks for the heads up, appreciated.

I just wish it wasn't already out there. (Ten page rant against DEFRA and the EU removed because life's too short)

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John

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This ability to share information quickly is one real benefit of the internet - isolated growers may think they've been unlucky or got some weedkiller left in the watering can etc. Once people realise lots of others have the same problem then the cause becomes obvious.

I'm sure the pressure from across the country by people who know they are not alone has caused this change. I must admit I'm surprised, the huge money involved made cynical old me convinced we'd not get very far but this is a good result.

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glallotments

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The Pesticide Safety Directorate have issued a new update
PSD update

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ge0ff

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Hi peapod - I've re-written this post, hopefully removing the contentious bits. Let's try again!...


A few months ago I spent some days getting what I thought was really nice well-rotted manure from a well-run local stables (over 50 sacks of the stuff). It was spread liberally over the allotment that my wife has been working so hard on, and on our new front garden, in preparation for planting - and all over our vegetable plot in the back garden.
The allotment potatoes came up - but they looked diseased. Last night I googled it and guess what I have found!.... Yes, Dow 'AgroScience', your product is in my manure and therefore throughout my land.

My allotment is ruined, my new front garden is ruined and the vegetable plot in my back garden is ruined. Yes, manure contaminated with the Dow 'AgroScience' product aminopyralid is still around in May 2011 and it's still wrecking peoples' hard work. If this happened in the USA Dow 'AgroScience' would be facing a class action lawsuit, with the prospect of forking out huge sums of money in compensation.

Potatoes are not the only things to have been affected. Many other plants have either died, or not come up, or are just sitting weakly in the ground.

Having read posts elsewhere, I cannot justify eating any crop I have grown, for fear of the consequences. 'Dow' says that their herbicide is pretty harmless to humans, but how can I trust the statements of a company that put this herbicide on the market in the way it did? What I mean is that it's not hard to see that if you allow AMINOPYRALID into horse pastures, or into fields that will be used for straw for horse bedding IT WILL GET INTO HORSE MANURE. If it gets into horse manure, inevitably it gets into allotments and gardens.

So, did Dow 'AgroScience' fail to do their research properly (or even their basic thinking), in which case they would be responsible, or did they put the product onto the market KNOWING what the consequences would be, in which case they would also be responsible. Either way, Dow 'AgroScience' should take responsibilty for their actions.

I would like to start, or join a campaign if one already exists, to encourage Dow to take responsibility for the damage their product has caused.
« Last Edit: May 01, 2011, 18:14 by ge0ff »
Everything in the garden is NOT always rosy.

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mumofstig

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The license has strict regulations about how/where to use it, and the farmers should not be selling straw grown on fields that have been sprayed.
So it seems to me that it's the farmers who sold the bales of straw to the stables who are fault in this sad chain of events.



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