Ontario wheat producers will no longer be defenseless when faced with fusarium head blight. Fusarium is the worst of diseases in wheat because it not only erodes yield, but also impairs grain quality and can affect food safety. That all adds up to a reduction in crop value.
Provinces covered include Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.
The PMRA permits one-year emergency registrations where no other effective or registered product exists to control infestations that pose a serious threat. There must be good reason to believe the product is safe and effective for the emergency use. Because time may be too short to prepare a complete label, a supplemental label can be approved, indicating acceptable use, directions and precautions. It is important to recognize that uncertain liability and shared responsibility are implicit in this type of registration. In early April, a few minor regulatory hurdles remained to be cleared, but it looked highly probable that wheat growers would have access to this important disease management tool this year.