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Plants

EPA Issues Emergency Order to Stop Use of Dacthal Herbicide

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued an emergency order to halt the use of the herbicide Dacthal, also known as Dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA), a pesticide registered to control weeds in both agricultural and non-agricultural settings.

Effective immediately, no person or business in any state may use, distribute, sell, offer for sale, hold for sale, ship, deliver for shipment, or receive and (having so received) deliver or offer to deliver to any person any pesticide product containing DCPA.

Mesa County Receives Funding to Help Eradicate Japanese Beetle

The Colorado Department of Agriculture is sending $110,000 to Mesa County to evict an unwanted visitor: the Japanese beetle.

This invasive pest, which was discovered within the city limits of Grand Junction in the summer of 2022, can cause great damage to both ornamental horticulture and agricultural operations on the Western slope. Japanese beetles feed on more than 300 species of plants, many of which are essential to western Colorado’s agricultural economy, including peaches, grapes, sweet corn, and many other ornamental plants in urban spaces, including turf grass.

Hemp Advisory Committee Seeking to Fill Six Vacancies

The Colorado Department of Agriculture is seeking nominations across Colorado to fill six vacancies on the Hemp Advisory Committee (HAC). The committee provides advice to the Commissioner by reviewing proposed rules and recommending new rules or changes to existing rules.

“Colorado has been a pioneer in the hemp industry since 2013 and the Hemp Advisory Committee consists of leaders and innovators who have an active role in advising the Department by providing invaluable industry feedback,” said Brian Koontz, Hemp Program manager.

The HAC is looking for members representing:

Annual Agricultural Pest Survey Now Underway

The Colorado Agricultural Pest Survey Team has begun their annual season of monitoring for pests via insect trapping and visual survey. Coloradans can expect to see some insect traps around their local parks, forests and campgrounds, and should leave the traps in their place. 

Hemp Committee Seeks Nominations to Fill Four Seats

The Hemp Advisory Committee (HAC) at the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) is seeking nominations to fill four seats representing various sectors of the hemp industry. The HAC advises the Commissioner of Agriculture by reviewing proposed rules and recommending new rules or changes to existing rules, including rules that establish CDA’s inspection program to determine THC concentration.