Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus is a serious disease issue in peanut fields this year, which is spread through thrips feeding. Credit: Barry Tillman, UF/IFAS
Dr. Mark Abney, UGA Peanut Entomologist
An NGO group is currently petitioning the US EPA to revoke all food use tolerances for the organophosphate class of chemistry. In peanut this means phorate (Thimet) and acephate (Orthene). This is not a good situation.
The comment period is currently open, and you can visit this EPA site to review other comments (including mine) and add one of your own: Regulations.gov.
If you are a peanut grower regularly using one of those products, you should submit a comment. Losing Thimet would be a major blow to our efforts to reduce the impact of tomato spotted wilt disease.
