APS REGULATORY ALERTS

EPA Announces Grant Program; USDA Seeks Comments on "Record Keeping Requirements for Certified Applicators of Federally Restricted Use Pesticides"; APHIS Extends Deadline for Comments on Regulations Governing the Importation of Nursery Stock; USDA Finalizes Regulations on Agricultural Select Agents and Toxins

Date: March 24, 2005

The EPA has announced a grant program on Genomic Approaches to Identify and Characterize Potential Indicators of Ecological Fitness in Crop and Non-Crop Plants. Applications are sought that will address the identification and the characterization of traits that may impact the ecological fitness of primary transgenic crops and that of their hybrid or backcross progeny with non-crop plants. Both herbaceous monocot (e.g., grasses) and dicot (e.g., crucifers) model crops are of interest in these proposed cooperative studies. More information is available at: http://www.fedgrants.gov/Applicants/EPA/OGD/GAD/TBN25375/listing.html

USDA seeks public comments within 30 days of March 16 on the paperwork and regulatory burdens associated with the extension of an existing Information Collection Request, titled "Record keeping Requirements for Certified Applicators of Federally Restricted Use Pesticides (7 CFR Part 110)." More information is available at:  http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-5177.htm

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service extends to April 11,
2005 the deadline for the submission of comments on its December 10, 2004 proposed rule making that solicited public comment on whether and how the agency should amend the regulations that govern the importation of nursery stock. More information is available at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-4705.htm

On March 18, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued a news release, titled "USDA Finalizes Regulations on Agricultural Select Agents and Toxins," that "removes plum pox and Asian soybean rust from the list of select agents and toxins." More information is available at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-5063.htm