UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460 

JAN 252012 

OFFICE OF CHEMICAL SAFETY 

AND POLLUTION PREVENTION 

MEMORANDUM 

SUBJECT: 

FROM: 

THRU: 

BEAD Chemical Profile for Registration Review: Thiac10prid (014019) 

Colwell Cook, Entomologist ~&J- Biological Analysis Branch 

Sepehr 

Science 

Haddad, 

Information 

Environmental 

and Analysis 

Protection 

Branch 

Specialist I It 

1 

__ fi" I ~ 

Michelle Ranville, Economist 'V\l\.O.O 

Economic Analysis Branch U '1-

Biological and Economic Analysis Division (7503P) 

AmetJones, Chief /':J d"\J~ Biological Analysis Branc~ "'U , 

Diann 

Science 

Sims, 

Information 

Chief ~ and Analysis Branch . () 

Timothy Kiely, Chief 61- \}A l~ Economic Analysis Branch -. ~ . 

Biological and Economic AnalYSIS Division (7503P) 

TO: Wilhelmena Livingston, Chemical Review Manager 4 

Risk Management and Implementation Branch 4 

Pesticide Re-evaluation Division (7508P) 

Product Review Panel date: January 18,2012 

INTRODUCTION 

The purpose of this document is to convey usage information and a broad overview of the pest 

management roles of pesticides that are beginning to undergo registration review. The 

anticipated audience consists of the team of EPA staff currently evaluating the registration status 

of thiac1oprid, and eventually the general public. This document builds upon the data already 

provided in the "Usage and Label Use Data Packages" that are also provided to Registration 

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Review teams by BEAD. The document is based on infonnation and data available to BEAD as 

of January 2012. 

Thiacloprid is a chloronicotinoid insecticide. Its mode of action is to inhibit the nicotinic 

acetylcholine receptors thereby disrupting the insect's nervous system. It targets primarily 

sucking insects on cotton and pome fruits. The main pests are aphids and whiteflies on cotton, 

and pear psylla, codling moth, and plum curculio on pome fruits. (EPA 2003) 

COMMON FORMULATIONS AND APPLICATION METHODS 

Thiacloprid is fonnulated as flowable concentrate and as a wettable granular. These 

fonnulations may be applied by ground or air as foliar sprays to cotton and pome fruits. (EPA 

2003) 

USE SITES 

Agricultural Use Sites 

Thiacloprid is labeled for use on pome fruits and cotton and was first registered in September 

2003. 

Non-Agricultural Use Sites 

Thiacloprid is not registered for use on non-agricultural sites 

USAGE 

Agricultural Usage 

Based on private market usage data from 2004-2010, usage averaged approximately 11,000 

pounds active ingredient (a.i.) for 70,000 acres treated. Figure 1 presents usage ofthiacloprid 

over this time period and Figure 2 presents total area treated in acres. The average a.i. rate was 

approximately 0.16 pounds per acre. The crop with the major use in tenns of pounds a.i. applied 

is apples with 91 % followed by pears with 9%. No use was reported on cotton. Figure 1 shows 

that usage on apples and pears has increased overall from 2004 through 2010, even though there 

was a dip in usage between 2006 and 2008. Figure 2 shows that acres treated are also increasing 

(Proprietary Data, 2004-2010). 

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FIGURE 1. Thiacloprid Usage in Pounds A.I. Applied on Apples and 

Pears 2004-2010 

16,000 .,.------------- -----

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 

Years 

Source: Proprietary Data, 2004-2010 

FIGURE 2. Thiaclo 

Apples 

_ Pears 

100,000 .---------------------

o +---.---.---.---.---.---.--~ 

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 

Years 

Source: Proprietary Data, 2004-2010 

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FIGURE 3. 

16% 

Source: Proprietary Data, 2004-2010 

Figure 3 presents the states with the most agricultural usage in terms of pounds a.i. applied. 

These are: Washington (27%), New York (25%), Michigan (23%), Pennsylvania (16%) and 

Oregon (5%). The "other" category of states which comprise th,e remaining 4 % of usage 

include North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio and Kansas. 

Another measure of usage is the use intensity. In this analysis, the use intensity is 

expressed as the pounds a.i. applied per acre of land in farms. This differs from the 

application rate, which is expressed as the pounds a.i. applied per treated acre. Figure 4 

spatially represents thiacloprid use intensity in the US. Figure 4 shows that use is 

relatively greater in eastern states (NY, P A, and MI) than in western states (W A, and 

OR). 

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FIGURE 4. Thiacioprid Usage by Crop Reporting District (2006-2010) 

Average Pounds Per 

1,000 Acres of Fannland 

. <0.06 

. 0.06-0.25 

0 ° ·26-0.50 

0.51 - 1.00 

. 1.01-2.25 

N 

! 

This is a map of agricultural pesticide usage at the Crop Reporting District (CRD) level. CRDs are 

boundaries created by USDA NASS which are aggregates of counties (USDA, 2010). Pesticide usage is 

displayed as average pounds (for the years 2006-2010) per 1,000 acres offarmland in a CRD to normalize for 

the variation in farmland between CRDs. Farmland acreage was obtained from USDA (2007). 

Usage is based on private market surveys of pesticide use in agriculture (Proprietary Data, 2006-

2010). The survey data are limited to the states that represent the top 80-90% of acreage for the 

individual crops, therefore, use may be occurring in regions outside the scope of the survey. CRDs 

showing no usage of pesticides may be due to either the lack of pesticide use in the region or nonparticipation in the agricultural surveys. In addition, across the years, there may be variations in 

the specific crops included in the CRD survey. This may result in a lower annual average for the 

CRD. 

Sources: 

Proprietary Data. 2006-2010 

USDA, 2006-2010. NASS Crop Reporting Districts. Online: 

http://www.ers.usda.gov!briefing/arms/resourceregions/resourceregions.htm#nass. 

USDA, 2007. Census of Agriculture. Online: http://www.agcenslls.usda.goy/Publications/2007/index.asp. 

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mSTORY OF BEAD ASSESSMENTS FOR THIACLOPRID 

BEAD has not conducted any benefits assessments or Section 18 analyses for thiac1oprid. 

REFERENCES 

Proprietary Data, 2004-2010 

EPA. 2003. Thiac10prid Fact Sheet. http://www.epa.gov/opprdOOllfactsheets/thiacloprid.pdf. 

USDA, 2006-2010. NASS Crop Reporting Districts. Online: 

http://www.ers.usda.govlbriefing/arms/resourceregions/resourceregions.htm#nass. 

USDA, 2007. Census of Agriculture. Online: 

http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/PublicationsI2007/index.asp 

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