There was some good news today as the EPA approved the Section 18 requests allowing the emergency use of Transform in cotton for the control of tarnished plant bugs. Please recall that the new proposed label for Transform does not include cotton, but at least for 2016, we will be able to use this insecticide. I appreciate the EPA not placing any substantial restrictions on our request. The following restrictions are mandated.

• Application by air or ground is allowed at rates of 1.5 – 2.25 oz of product
• A maximum of 4 applications may be made per year (not to exceed 8.5 oz of product per acre)
• Application is prohibited when wind speed exceeds 10 MPH
• Retreatment is prohibited within 5 days, and the re-entry interval (REI) is 24 hours.
• The pre-harvest interval (PHI) for application is within 14 days of harvest.
• No more than 168,750 acres of cotton can be treated in Tennessee.

The authorization letter, which contains additional information is linked here: 16-TN-01 Signed Authorization Letter 06-07-16. There is still time to make a comment to the EPA about the proposed, new label for Transform that does not include cotton. Those sites can be made at the following website until June 17: https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EPA-HQ-OPP-2010-0889.