*Massachusetts to Spray for Mosquitoes: IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR GROWERS FROM THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES PESTICIDE BUREAU*

Due to the presence of high levels of Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus in mosquito populations, the Commonwealth will be treating 159,000 acres in Southeastern Massachusetts with the insecticide Anvil. Applications are scheduled to begin on Monday, August 7 2006 at approximately 8 pm (weather permitting). They are expected to continue until after midnight. These times are subject to change depending on weather and other factors.

Anvil contains the active ingredient sumithrin. Sumithrin is not approved for use on food crops. Organic farms will be excluded from application so as not to put their certification at risk. However the Department does not know the location of all non-organic farms and cannot exclude them. While the application is not expected to leave a detectable residue on foods, there is a MANDATORY Pre-Harvest INTERVAL of 48 hours for any produce in the spray area. Growers may not harvest, pick or collect produce within 48 hours of when the applications take place. Check the following sources of information for times of applications:

Applications will be made to the entire towns of Middleborough, Carver, Kingston, Plympton, and Lakeville; and partial areas of the following towns, New Bedford, Acushnet, Duxbury, Halifax, Bridgewater, Raynham, Freetown, Taunton, Rochester, Plymouth, Pembroke, Berkley, and Dartmouth and Wareham.

Growers who need an uninterrupted supply of produce may want to harvest prior to Monday evening. Again, the Department would like to stress that while it is a legal requirement, the PHI is being implemented as an extra level of safety. Detectable residues are not expected with this application. Applications of the same chemical made in California at 10 times the application rate to be used in MA resulted in no detectable residues.

Growers who have questions from buyers or consumers may refer them to 617.626.1771 or to www.mass.gov/agr . Information on the area to be treated will also be posted on this website