STMA statement regarding Oxadiazon

Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) President Nick McKenna, CSFM, issued the following statement regarding impending reregistration review for Oxadiazon:

STMA just became aware of an impending reregistration review for Oxadiazon that will dramatically affect our industry. The proposed changes will eliminate its use on virtually all turfgrass except for golf courses and sod farms. There is a comment period open until Oct. 4. I am asking members to comment by providing factual information why these changes will result in unsafe fields for youth to professional athletes. Noted below are some talking points to include. Choose those that work for you. You can provide your comments in any format in the comments box. It might be easiest to use bullet points after you introduce yourself and your facility.  

The full PID document is located here: Oxadiazon PID Document. To Comment, go to https://www.regulations.gov/document/EPA-HQ-OPP-2014-0782-0028; under the title is a blue comment button at top left. Click on the button and add your comments. The official division overseeing this issue is: Re-evaluation Division. You can reference “Oxadiazon – Proposed Interim Registration Review Decision Case Number 2485”, if you wish, but the comments box is specific to this issue.

I apologize for this late notice and hope that you can take a few minutes to help our industry maintain usage of a critical herbicide. – Nick  

Talking Points:

  • Introduce who you are and what type of facility you manage (number of users, amount of area, etc.) and you are writing to provide comments / feedback on the proposed changes for oxadiazon and potential implications of the proposed changes
  • Highlight the documented benefits of maintained athletic fields including improved physical and mental health
  • Highlight the importance of oxadiazon herbicide to maintain safe and functional athletic fields. Emphasize agronomic and financial implications.
  • Provide specific insight on how you use oxadiazon at your facility (specific weeds you manage with oxadiazon), highlight the level of weed control obtained while not adversely affecting established turfgrass. Elaborate on management techniques that would be required if oxadiazon is no longer registered for athletic fields and include the financial implications of these additional weed control techniques that would be required.
    • Would force athletic field managers to use other herbicides which compromise surface quality (alternative herbicides adversely affect turfgrass rooting), leading to increased athlete injuries.
    • Would require athletic field managers to use more herbicides (more active ingredient on the ground is not a good thing)
    • Would compromise one component of resistance management (effectively eliminating a PRE mode of action). Emphasize resistance, US EPA pays attention to this more now because of what we learned in agronomic crops with glyphosate.

Thank you in advance for your help!

STMA