UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

WASHINGTON O.C., 20460 

JUL 15 2015 OFFICE OF CHEMICAL SAFETY 

AND POLLUTION PREVENTION 

MEMORANDUM 

SUBJECT: 

FROM: 

THRU: 

TO: 

~:::::~::: P:fi:.~::: ::~:::::•tion Revie: rb: '.~~;: £? 

Biological Analysis Branch ~!J'ff ~ 

- R~fael A. Prieto, _Environmental.Protection Specialis~L/ A. f~ Science lnfonnation and Analysis Branch fl · 7 ·- -l · 

Economic 

Andrew Lee

Analysis 

, Economist 

Branch ~ -

(~ -· 

Biological and Economic Analysis Division (7503P) 

ArnetJones, Chief . tf..-/'/'/?~ ~Av~~ Biological Analysis Brancy.....- / cV"t< ..5 

Diann Sims, Chief 41-"~ f J)_ .)._,'frv'v 

Science lnfonnation and ka1yf.s Brancl1 

Timothy Kiely, Chief 2 \j\A_~ Economic Analysis Branch 

Biological and Economic Analy s Division (7 

Khue Nguyen, Chemical Review Manager 

Risk Management and Implementation Branch 1 

Pesticide Re-evaluation Division (7508P) 

Peer Review Panel date: July 8, 2015 
SUMMARY 

Ferbam was first registered in 1948. Ferbam is a dithiocarbamates fungicide (FRAC Code M3). 

It has multi-site contact activity against fungi. Ferbam is mainly used on grapefruits and oranges 

in Florida to control scab disease. Based on private market usage data (2009-2012), 

approximately 22,000 lbs a. i. (92% of the total fungicides use) of ferbam was applied to 

grapefruits and oranges in Florida It is also used on mangoes in Florida as special local need to 

control anthracnose disease. 

INTRODUCTION 

The Biological and Economic Analysis Division (BEAD) Chemical Profile (BCP) provides an 

overview of the pest management roles and quantitative usage information for ferbam. The BCP 

includes summaries of previous BEAD products and available public and/or private use and 

usage data for ferbam to describe the role of this chemical in pest management. Additional 

information on use is available in the Label Data Reports for ferbam. Information provided in 

this BEAD Chemical Profile (BCP) may be used by stakeholders (e.g., users and registrants), 

OPP risk assessors, and OPP risk managers, and the general public during the Registration 

Review process of this pesticide. 

USE SITES 

Registered agricultural use sites for ferbam are: apples, citrus (grapefruit, limes, lemons, oranges, 

tangerines, and tangelos), cranberries, pears, peaches, nectarines, and mangoes (special local 

need). 

There are no known registered non-agricultural use sites for ferbam. 

FORMULATIONS AND APPLICATION METHODS 

Ferbam is formulated as a water dispersible granules and applied as a ground boom spray or as a 

spot treatment. 

HISTORY OF FERBAM BEAD PRODUCTS 

A search of the BEAD database for previous BEAD products for ferbam indicates that there are 

no records of prior BEAD benefits assessments or Section 18 Emergency Exemption Requests 

for ferbam. Recent Section 18 Emergency Exemption Requests might suggest that a chemical is 

important for the uses granted in the request; however, a lack of Section 18 Emergency 

Exemption Requests is not an indication of the relative importance of the chemical. 

USAGE 

Agricultural 

For years 2004-2008, ferbam annual usage averaged 57 ,000 pounds of active ingredient (A. I.) 

treating an annual average of 14,000 acres, with an overall average application rate of 4.1 pounds A. 

I. per acre. For the 2009-2012 timeframe, ferbam annual usage averaged 24,000 pounds of A. I. 

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treating an annual average of 3,500 acres, and with an overall average application rate of 6.9 pounds 

A. I. per acre. No usage was reported in proprietary data for year 2013. 

The use of ferbam, both in terms of pounds A. I. and in terms of total area treated (TAT), has been 

decreasing since 2004, with minimal usage, both in terms of pounds and in terms of total area treated, 

in the last few years (figure 1 ). 

(Proprietary Data, 2009-2012) 

Usage Trends 

FIGURE 1. Ferbam Pounds A. I. Applied and Total Area Treated (TAT) in Acres 

(2004-2012) 

130,000 

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...,._TAT 

35,000 

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As shown in tables 1, 2, and 3 below, for the most recent years of data, 2009-2012, grapefruit 

and oranges are ferbam's top crops, with grapefruit having a 53% of usage in terms of total 

pounds applied. Florida is the top state for ferbam 's use, with 92% of usage in terms of total 

pounds A. I. applied. 

TAB LE 1. Crops with Highest Use of Ferbam - Percent of Total Lbs. Aoolied (2004-20 12) 

2004-2008 2009-2012 

Crop %Lbs Crop %Lbs 

Grapefruit 52 Grapefruit 53 

Oranges 34 Oranges 39 

Other* 14 Other* 8 

*Other crops may include cherries, apples, and peaches. 

Source: Proprietary Data, 2004-2012 

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TABLE 2. States with u· 1e: h es t U se o f F b er am- p ercen t o f T t l oa Lb s . Applied (2009-2012) 

State O/o 

Florida 92 

Michigan 8 

Source: Proprietary Data, 2009-2012 · 

Application Rates 

As seen on table 3 below, the application rates for ferbam's top crops (in terms of both pounds 

and TAT), do not vary much, from 7.3 1 for grapefruit up to 7.92 for oranges. 

TABLE3 . F er b am U se on T op C rops: A vera ge A nnua lU sage w1 "th A I R t . . a e, 2009 -2012 

Crop Average Annual Average Annual Avg. A. I. Rate 

Total Pounds Total Acres Treated* (lbs A. I./ Acre) 

Grapefruit 13,000 2,000 7.31 

Orange 9,000 1,000 7.92 

*Total Acres Treated sums all acres treated for a crop, including those acres that receive multiple 

treatments. 

Source: EPA Proprietary Data, 2009-2012 

BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS RELEVANT TO FERBAM 

Ferbam is a dithiocarbamates fungicide (FRAC Code M3) of Fungicide Resistance Action 

Committee (FRAC, 2015). It has multi-site contact activity against fungi. It has low risk of 

developing resistance in fungi (FRAC, 2015). Ferbam is used for controlling fungal diseases on 

registered crops. It is mainly used on grapefruits and oranges to control scab disease. Ferbam can 

be used as a standalone fungicide or in combination/alternation with fungicides with different 

mode of action (such as azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, copper-based fungicides). Since 2004, 

ferbam use has declined and this may be due to the registration of new fungicides (such as 

azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, trifloxystrobin) that are significantly more effective than ferbam in 

controlling the disease. 

ROLE OF FERBAM IN PEST MANAGEMENT 

Ferbam is predominantly used on grapefruits and oranges in Florida. Grapefruit and oranges are 

grown in California and Texas but they are not treated with ferbam. Ferbam alone has been 

reported to be moderately effective against scab disease on citrus (Dewdney, 2014) in Florida. It 

is used in combination with azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin and trifloxystrobin for significantly 

better efficacy in controlling the disease and resistance management (Dewdney, 2014). Ferbam is 

registered for use on mangoes in Florida as special local need to control anthracnose disease. 

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DATA NEEDS 

Agricultural Use: 

1. Propriety data show that ferbam use rate is higher than the labeled rate on citrus crops. 

Registrant may have information if this is true and what are the possible reasons? 

2. Ferbam use and usage information on mangoes and cranberries. 

REFERENCES 

Dewdney, MM. 2014. Quick reference guide to foliar fungicides. 

http://www.crec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/black spot/PDF/PP27500.pdf. Accessed on July l, 2015 

FRAC. 2015. http://www.frac.info/docs/default-source/publications/frac-code-list/frac-code-list2015-finalC2AD7AA36764.pdf?sfvrsn=4 Accessed on June 20, 2015. 

Proprietary Data, 2004-2012. 

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