Byline: Joy Powell; Staff Writer
Minnesota farmers will be able to use a herbicide previously banned in the state if the product's manufacturer agrees to stringent restrictions on its use, agriculture officials said Thursday.
The product, called Balance Pro, is used to kill weeds in cornfields. It's manufactured by Bayer CropScience, a German company that has its U.S. headquarters in North Carolina.
Environmentalists had opposed use of Balance Pro, pointing to concerns of potential runoff and leaching into groundwater. Its active ingredient, isoxaflutole, is listed by the Environmental Protection Agency as a possible cause of liver tumors, skeletal problems, thyroid cancer, eye problems and nervous-system disorders.
Minnesota was among a handful of states that, for four years, banned the new herbicide, which was approved for conditional use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. But based on data from recent studies and under conditions that are among the strictest in the nation, the state will allow Balance Pro to be applied to fields, said Dan Stoddard, agricultural chemical manager for the Minnesota Agriculture Department.
Bayer CropScience is reviewing the order, a spokesman said Thursday. It could opt to not sell the product in Minnesota, which is what happened in Wisconsin after that state ordered stringent restrictions.
The herbicide is now used in 18 other states, bringing significant benefits for farmers, including a new way of killing herbicide-resistant weeds. It also cuts the amount of herbicides used, Stoddard said.
Studies show that Balance Pro can enter surface runoff but rarely gets into groundwater - and when it does, it's at levels below those considered to jeopardize public health, said Stoddard and Bayer CropScience officials.
'This decision has been a long time in coming,' Stoddard said. 'We've been talking to Bayer about mitigation steps it could take to address our surface and groundwater concerns. We received public comment for 30 days. And now we've evaluated all the data and made a decision.'
On Thursday, an environmental group in St. Paul lauded state agricultural officials for the strict new standards, which are unprecedented in Minnesota.
Janette Brimmer, legal director for the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, said the extensive requirements exceed what her organization expected and also respond to public concerns.
'It is very stringent, and I am pleased,' Brimmer, an attorney specializing in environmental issues, said of the department's lengthy order. 'This is the right direction to go. It helps recognize and prevent problems before they are out of control.'
The restrictions would be listed on the product label, and every farmer would be required to follow them after getting training through the Agriculture Department and University of Minnesota. Farmers also must be certified, at a fee of $40 for three years. Commercial applicators must be trained before licensing at an annual cost of $75. Misuse could lead to fines of up to $7,500 a day.
The restrictions would ban use in the following locations:
- Dakota, Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Wabasha and Winona counties to prevent contamination of shallow limestone aquifers.
- North of Interstate Hwy. 94, where sandy soil tends to make groundwater more vulnerable to contamination, or on other areas with low organic matter.
- Within 200 feet of lakes and reservoirs, or within 66 feet of streams or rivers, or tile surface inlets for field drainage.
Bayer CropScience must agree to the development of educational programs on safe use of the product, installation of 32 monitoring wells in 16 fields where the product will be used, and analysis of surface and groundwater samples collected by the Agriculture Department. It must also provide continuing efforts to assess environmental risks and benefits of the product.
- Joy Powell is at jpowell@startribune.com.
Where the herbicide is used
Balance Pro is currently used in 18 states. Minnesota will be the 19th if the manufacturer accepts the restrictions the state has imposed.
Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania
