Ronilan fungicide loses registration for use on raspberries:

I recently received the following information from BASF Corp.  We are losing the registration for Ronilan fungicide on raspberries for control of Botrytis fruit rot.  I have
not heard anything about Rovral registration on brambles.  Hopefully, we will not loose Rovral for use on Brambles.  I will try to keep growers informed as I learn more.

Letter from BASF Corp:

As you know the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) created new challenges for the crop protection chemical industry by requiring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reassess use patterns and risk for crop protection products currently on the market.

During the reregistration process, EPA has reevaluated data concerning vinclozolin employing newly developed FQPA risk assessment standards.  As a result, we can
not maintain all current and proposed labeled uses of Ronilan® fungicide and still satisfy the conservative standards of FQPA.  This factor must be accounted for in
order to complete the reregistration of vinclozolin containing products.

BASF has therefore proposed a phase out of some of the uses of Ronilan.  The
most immediate of these actions involves the removal of the use on onions and raspberries from the Ronilan label.

Our actions are prompted by an effort to comply with the new FQPA safety standard and not by any new data concerning vinclozolin.

The key points which you need to understand are as follows:

1.    BASF will propose cancellation of Ronilan use on onions and raspberries
  effective July 15, 2000.

2.    Use on onions and raspberries will be allowed until January 1 , 2001.

3. Commodities legally treated up to January 1, 2001 would be allowed into the  channels of trade past Jan. 1, 2001 in accordance with FFDCA Section 408  (1)(5).

4. All new Ronilan products entering the channels of trade after the summer of
2000 will reflect the removal of these crops from the label.

5. There will be no product recalls.  The existing stocks provisions will allow for  stickering or relabeling of remaining stocks at distributor and retailer sites.

6.    In addition BASF will request cancellation of Ronilan ® fungicide use in
        kiwi and Belgian endive (chicory) effective December 31, 2001.