Drift reduction adjuvants are now included as a mitigation option in the final strategy.
Posted on September 12, 2024
WESTMINSTER, Colorado – 12 September 2024 – The Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) applauds the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for adding drift reduction adjuvants (DRAs) to the agency’s approved mitigation options for Endangered Species Act (ESA) compliance. The EPA finalized its Herbicide Strategy on how to meet ESA obligations last month, incorporating suggestions from WSSA and its affiliated Weed Science Societies, along with proposals from the Council of Producers & Distributors of Agrotechnology (CPDA), CropLife America, and the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants (NAICC), among others.
“We’re beyond pleased that the EPA agreed with our recommendations to include drift reducing adjuvants in its final Herbicide Strategy,” says Greg Dahl, WSSA President. “The goal is to protect the endangered species while also enabling the most practical, affordable, and efficient ways to do so. DRAs have shown to be among the best possible spray drift mitigation options in all those important categories.”
The EPA’s final Herbicide Strategy includes more mitigation options compared to an earlier
draft, while still protecting listed species. “There is now a better path forward for farmers and
land managers to do business and still meet all ESA requirements,” says Dahl. “For example,
buffer distances can now be reduced by 15 to 30 percent if applicators use a spray drift reduction adjuvant.”
