**Sample Letter** **#1 May** **15,2012 Address** **City, State,** **Zip Linda** **Irokawa-Otani, Regulations Coordinator** **Department of** **Pesticide Regulation** **10011 Street,** **P.O. Box** **4015 Sacramento,** **California 95812-4015** **RE: Proposed** **Non-Fumigant VOC** **Regulations Dear** **Ms. Irokawa-Otani:** 

### am**writing in** **response to** **your proposed** **VOC regulations** **for Non-Fumigant** **products. As** **retailer located** **in the** **Central Valley** **of California,** **find many** **problems with** **your proposal.** 

### First,**GoalTender and** **other low** **VOC oxyfluorfen** **formulations are** **NOT viable** **substitutes for** **Goal**

### 2XL**and other** **EC oxyfluorfen** **products. My** **company has** **over 20** **years experience** **working with** **Goal 2XL** **and over** **10 years** **working with** **GoalTender. When** **it comes** **to post** **emergence weed** **control,**

### GoalTender**is not** **substitute. Our** **experience in** **the field** **and orchard** **is that** **Goal 2XL** **is the** **only formulation** **that controls** **hard to** **control weeds** **like malva,** **and helps** **with glyphosate** **resistant weeds.** 

### have**reviewed your** **list of** **"kickers" and** **their cost** **as it** **pertains to** **making GoalTender** **an effective^** 

### post**emergence product.** **Reliable data** **does not** **exist that** **supports your** **position that** **these "kickers"** **are the** **answer to** **using GoalTender** **in place** **of Goal** **2XL. Glyphosate** **is not** **an effective** **tank mix** 

### partner**due to** **the fact** **that glyphosate** **is already** **the foundation** **of the** **spray mix.** **Adding pint** **of glyphosate** **will do** **nothing for** **resistant weeds** **and hard** **to control** **weeds. Paraquat** **is Restricted** **Use Pesticide** **due to** **acute toxicity.** **Human toxicity** **and worker** **exposure concerns** **make paraquat** **an extremely** **poor choice.** **The most** **likely "kickers"** **to be** **added to** **GoalTender are** **Rely and** **Treevix.**

### Rely**costs $46/acre** **and was** **in short** **supply in** **2012. Treevix** **costs $16/acre** **and the** **label recommends** 

### the**addition of** **Goal to** **broaden the** **spectrum. The** **label also** **recommends an** **"adjuvant system"** **for post** **emergent weed** **control. This** **"system" includes** **methylated seed** **oil (MSO)** **plus Ammonium** 

### Sulfate**(AMS). With** **the additional costs** **of the** **adjuvant system,** **our growers** **cannot afford** **to add** **$20 to** **$50 per** **acre to** **their weed** **control programs.** **Lastly, please** **allow me** **to comment** **on the** **administrative burden** **that these** **regulations push** **upon our** **business and** **our people.** **Providing written** **information on** **the VOC** **regulations, tracking** **the intended** **use period,** **providing written** **recommendations and** **maintaining records** **for two** **years adds** **costs to** **our business.** **We will** **in turn** **be forced** **to pass** **these costs** **on to** **our grower** **customers. This** **is addition** **to the** **$20 to** **$50 per acre** **calculated above.** **We need** **Goal 2XL** **in our** **summer post** **emergent weed** **control programs.** **Its elimination** **will result** **in significant** **cost increases** **and decreased** **weed control** **in orchards** **and vineyards.** **This decreased** **weed control** **could even** **result in** **additional trips** **across the field** **with tractor** **and sprayer.** **Have you** **considered the** **effect of** **additional VOC** **loading from** **additional spray** **trips? We** **respectfully request** **that you** **find way** **to keep** **Goal 2XL** **and other** **EC formulations** **available during** **the post** **emergent market months** **of May** **through October.** **Best Regards,** **XXXXX YYYYYY** **Name Title** **Company**