BISMARCK – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a request for a Section 18 emergency exemption for Ultra Blazer®, enabling North Dakota growers a new tool to combat glyphosate-resistant waterhemp in sugarbeets.
“With the discontinuance of Betamix, there are currently no registered postemergence products available to control waterhemp that survives preemergence treatments,” Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. “This exemption gives growers a new product when early treatments are ineffective.”
The exemption allows application of Ultra Blazer on sugarbeet fields in Barnes, Cass, Cavalier, Grand Forks, Pembina, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Steele, Traill and Walsh counties. Ultra Blazer is to be applied one time at 16 fluid ounces per acre per year.
Users must follow all applicable directions, restrictions and precautions on the container label, as well as the Section 18 use directions.
A Section 18 exemption under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) authorizes EPA to allow an unregistered use of a pesticide for a limited time if EPA determines that an emergency condition exists.