MSU Pesticide News - August 17th, 2018
Fumigant Trainings offered Across Montana
Cecil Tharp, Montana State University Extension Pesticide Education Specialist
Human fatalities spurred EPA and product registrants to implement new phosphine fumigant restrictions since 2010. These include: 1) prohibiting all uses of the product on single and multi-family residential properties, nursing homes, schools (except athletic fields), daycare facilities, and hospitals, 2) increase buffer zones to 100 feet for treatment around non-residential buildings that could be occupied by people or animals, 3) completed fumigant management plan prior to the application, and much more. Though reduced, ongoing fatalities have occurred, including one Utah adult in 2018, and four children in Texas, 2017. The Montana State University Pesticide Education Program is offering multiple trainings in Montana to assist applicators in effectively managing pests with phosphine fumigants, while using them in a safe manner.
*Some common examples (not all inclusive) of products containing aluminum or magnesium phosphide include Fumi-cel, Fumitoxin, Magtoxin, Phostoxin, and Weevil-cide.
Phosphine gas applicators may attend fumigant training sessions offered by the MSU Pesticide Education Program (PEP) on December 18th in Havre, or December 19th in Miles City. These half day sessions will focus on managing rodents with fumigants (Stephen Vantassel, MDA Vertebrate Pest Specialist), and managing insects in agricultural structures (Cecil Tharp, MSU Pesticide Education Specialist).
Date and Location
December 18th
- Havre, MT
- Northern Ag Research Center, 3710 Assiniboine Road. Details below.
December 19th
- Miles City, MT
- USDA-ARS-PA Livestock & Range Research Laboratory, 243 Fort Keogh Road. Details below.
Pre-register online or contact Amy Bowser (406-994-5178; [email protected]).
There is a $30 fee at the door.
Registration required by December 12th, 2018
Further Information
Information regarding this news release and aluminum and magnesium phosphide can be found on the EPA website. If you have questions regarding this article contact the MSU Pesticide Education program (Cecil Tharp, Pesticide Education Specialist, 406-994- 5067, [email protected]). Applicators can view the complete agenda by navigating to the MSU PEP website and selecting ‘2018 Fumigant Training Tour’ on the website banner.