California: Private Applicator Certificate (“Brown Card”) Changes
Under new regulations effective as of January 1, 2024, individuals currently certified as private pesticide applicators are required to take and pass the revised initial Private Applicator Certificate (PAC) Examination to demonstrate competency with the revised private applicator standards in 40 CFR Part 171. For more information, see the presentation given by Anna Genasci of the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau at the 2023 Almond Conference, organized by the Almond Board of California.
EU: Plant Protection Products Update
The European Union recently published draft MRLs for the following substances in or on nuts and dried fruits:
| Substance | Commodity | MRL (mg/kg) |
| Phosphonic acid and its salts expressed as phosphonic acid (R)(1) | Almonds | 1000 |
| Brazil nuts | 400 | |
| Cashews | 400 | |
| Hazelnuts | 1000 | |
| Macadamias | 400 | |
| Pecans | 400 | |
| Pine nut kernels | 400 | |
| Pistachios | 1000 | |
| Walnuts | 1000 | |
| Apricots | 60 | |
| Plums | 8 | |
| Cranberries | 1.5 | |
| Dates | 1.5 | |
| Figs | 1.5 | |
| Peanuts | 3 | |
| Deltamethrin (cis-deltamethrin)(F)(2) | Tree nuts | 0.01 |
| Peanuts | 0.01 | |
| Metalaxyl and metalaxyl- M (metalaxyl including other mixtures of constituent isomers including metalaxyl-M (sum of isomers)) (R)(2) | Grapes | 1.5 |
| Benomyl(3) | Tree nuts | 0.01 |
| Peanuts | 0.01 | |
| Dried fruits | 0.01 | |
| Carbendazim (R)(3) | Tree nuts | 0.01 |
| Peanuts | 0.01 | |
| Dried fruits | 0.01 | |
| Thiophanate-methyl (R)(3) | Tree nuts | 0.01 |
| Peanuts | 0.01 | |
| Dried fruits | 0.01 |
(1) Proposed date of adoption is June 2, 2024. Proposed date of publication is July 2, 2024. More information
(2) Proposed date of adoption is April 15, 2024. Proposed date of publication is June 15, 2024. More information
(3) Proposed date of adoption is June 2, 2024. Proposed date of publication is July 2, 2024. More information
Other plant protection products news:
- Glyphosate: The Official Journal of the European Union published Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2660, renewing the approval of the active substance glyphosate for a period of 10 years.
- S-metolachlor: The journal also published Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/20, concerning the non-renewal of S-metolachlor.
- Dimethomorph and mepanipyrim: The EU notified the World Trade Organization of draft Commission Implementing Regulations providing that the approval of the active substances dimethomorph and mepanipyrim are not renewed.
- Diazinon: A targeted review of maximum residue levels (MRLs) for diazinon published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) found that the existing MRLs for almonds (0.05 mg/kg) and cranberries (0.2 mg/kg) are not substantiated and that therefore these MRLs should be lowered to the limit of quantification (LOQ).
- Difenoconazole: In December, the EFSA published a report summarizing the outcome of the consultation on the pesticide risk assessment for difenoconazole.
EU: Mycotoxin and Plant Toxin Sampling and Analysis Methods
The Official Journal of the European Union has published new Commission Implementing Regulations establishing the methods of sampling and analysis for the control of the levels of mycotoxins and plant toxins in food. Both regulations shall apply as of April 1, 2024.