Although insecticide products containing lambda-cyhalothrin, such as Matador and Silencer, are registered and will be available for sale in Ontario for the 2023 growing season, some producer groups are cautioning against use of the products due to possible end-use trouble.
The updated label for April 2023 removes feed crops as an approved application, but as there is currently no process in place to divert harvested crops from livestock feed end-users, Grain Farmers of Ontario, the Ontario Agri Business Association, Ontario Bean Growers, and Ontario Canola Growers Association are not recommending use of the product on dry edible beans, grains, or oilseeds.
Syngenta Canada, the registrant of lambda-cy, has appealed Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) ruling on removing feed from the label, however a decision either way will is unlikely prior to the 2023 growing season, the company says.
Read more: The potential wasteful consequences of a lambda-cy label change
As a result of the regulatory review by the PMRA, applications of this pesticide on crops destined for livestock feed are not permitted. The label restriction also means that any byproducts from a crop destined for food, or a crop that is grown for food but does not make food grade, would not be eligible to be used as feed.
Alternative pesticide options may be available, and the grower groups encourage all farmers to consult with their agronomist, retailer, or provincial specialists for an appropriate alternative product. Also, farmers should contact their local retailer on options to return any unused product.
Related:
Labeling change to keep Matador and Silencer out of Western Canada in 2023