The American Soybean Association (ASA) submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week on its preliminary risk assessment for the insecticide imidacloprid.

As part of President Barack Obama’s “Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators,” the EPA committed to registration review of the neonicotinoid insecticides imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam and dinotefuran, with this preliminary assessment focusing solely on the risk of registered imidacloprid uses to bees.

The review concluded that imidacloprid presents “uncertain” on-field risk for soybeans, which data recognizes as the highest usage of all registered crops. The review also pointed out that potential exposure to bees is being addressed through separate ongoing development of best management practices.

“As farmers, we know that the loss of imidacloprid or other seed treatment products will force us to use older and/or less effective products. They will be broader spectrum and less targeted, as well as less safe for the environment,” ASA’s states in the submitted comments. “To reiterate the bottom line for soybean farmers: soybean producers use neonicotinoid seed treatments where they are needed and effective, and don’t use them where they are not. That approach to the use of crop protection products should be rewarded, not penalized.”

Preliminary assessments for the other insecticides are expected later this year.

Click here to read ASA’s comments.