Agrodefesa advises producers regarding the new court decision on the use of the pesticide thiamethoxam

The Goiás Agricultural Defense Agency (Agrodefesa), a body of the Government of Goiás, informs rural producers in Goiás that, following a court decision, commercialization restrictions and prohibition, suspension or restriction of use, production or import of pesticide products to base of the active ingredient thiamethoxam. The decision was handed down, on April 22, by the Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region, in harmony with the technical and legal statement of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa).

From this date onwards, thiamethoxam-based products can once again be marketed and recommended for use, in accordance with the indications contained in the product leaflets prior to the Communication from the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), published in February, which restricted the product.

“This new decision is very important and in the interest of resellers, producers, professionals and society in general, alerting the Technical Manager regarding the correct and safe use of this product, in order to favor the health of agricultural production, food safety and protecting the environment”, explains Agrodefesa’s Plant Health Manager, Daniela Rézio.

Rationale

According to the court decision, for the suspension it is necessary to comply with the provisions of Law 14.785/2023, known as the new Pesticides Law, which appoints the Ministry, as the registering body, as the authority with competence to adopt the measures arising from a reevaluation process. Still in accordance with the court decision, according to the same Law, to restrict the use of an already registered product, it is necessary for the Ministry to establish a phytosanitary plan to replace the product, with a view to controlling biological targets that may be left without alternatives to integrated pest management, which did not occur in this case.

With the new decision, distributors, cooperatives and resellers are once again authorized to sell products based on thiamethoxam, following the recommendations of the agronomic recipe and Brazilian farmers will be able, when indicated by the technical responsible, to continue to use products formulated with the active ingredient thiamethoxan , observing the label and leaflet recommendations.

“It is important to highlight that the mandatory issuance of agronomic prescriptions is of fundamental importance for controlling the correct and safe use of pesticides, as well as for monitoring compliance with label and leaflet recommendations, in favor of food and environmental safety”, reinforces the coordinator of Agricultural Input Programs of the Plant Health Management of Agrodefesa, Márcio Antonio de Oliveira e Silva.

“Even with the release of the use of this active ingredient, it is necessary to emphasize that the producer must carry out the application following what is recommended by his RT, duly registered with the Regional Council of Engineering and Agronomy of Goiás, Crea-GO. This avoids the risk of an overdose, which could be harmful not only to pollinating insects, but also to production itself and society. Agrodefesa always seeks to provide guidance on these good practices to maintain production in a safe and healthy way”, adds the coordinator of Pesticides and Bioinputs at Agrodefesa's Plant Health Management, Rodrigo Baiocchi.