METHYL BROMIDE EXTENSION vs

THE MAJORITY OF U.S. STRAWBERRY GROWERS ARE IN OUR AREA, AND THEY ARE AMONG THE GROWERS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO USE METHYL BROMIDE FOR AN ADDITIONAL YEAR . AMERICAN TOMATO AND STRAWBERRY FARMERS WERE TOLD THEY MUST STOP THE USE OF THE PESTICIDE BY 2005, BUT BECAUSE NO USABLE ALTERNATIVE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED, IT HAS QUALIFIED FOR A "CRITICAL USE" EXEMPTION, UNTIL 2006. 13 OTHER COUNTRIES ALSO APPEALED TO INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATORS FOR CRITICAL-USE EXEMPTIONS TO THE METHYL BROMIDE GUIDELINES WHICH WERE ADAPTED IN THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL TREATY OF 1987. IN THE LAST 10 YEARS THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HAS SPENT 150 MILLION DOLLARS ON RESEARCH INTO METHYL BROMIDE SUBSTITUTES.