EPA Denies Petition Requesting Rulemaking on Insecticide-Coated Seeds

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has denied a petition from the Center for Food Safety (CFS) and other groups calling on the agency to amend or formally interpret the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) as not exempting seeds covered in insecticide and thus requiring compliance with registration and labeling under FIFRA. CFS filed the rulemaking petition in 2017; when EPA failed to respond to the petition by late 2021, the group filed suit.

In its September 27, 2022, response denying the petition, EPA stated it “will continue to review labeling instructions for pesticides registered for seed treatment use(s) in registration and registration review to verify the completeness of these instructions for both use of the treating pesticide and the distribution, sale, and use of the treated seed.”

EPA also said it intends to issue an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking “to seek additional information on pesticide seed treatment and to explore the option of issuing a rule pursuant to FIFRA section 3(a) to regulate the use of pesticide-treated seed, which may prove to be a more efficient and less resource intensive solution to some of the concerns raised in the petition.”