Canada to phase out most uses of neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid

The Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is proposing to phase-out all the agricultural and a majority of other outdoor uses of neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid over three to five years. PMRA will consider alternate risk management proposals, provided that they can achieve acceptable levels in the environment in the same timeframe. The public comments for 90 days have been opened until Feb.23, 2016.

Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid insecticide registered to manage insects on a large number of agricultural crops including cereals and grains, legumes, pulses (beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas), oilseeds and horticultural crops, specialty crops and on Christmas trees, ornamentals, turf, forestry/woodlots, indoor and outdoor structural sites, and pets. It is applied using ground, aerial and seed treatment equipment, tree injection applicators, bait stations and spot-on applicators to cats and dogs.