Chlorpyrifos (Lorsban) in Peanuts

Rick Brandenburg

Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, NC State University

In 2021, the EPA made a decision to revoke all tolerances of chlorpryifos (Lorsban) thus removing it as a product available for peanuts.  This has a serious impact as it is our only effective product for southern corn rootworm and has great value in controlling burrower bug, wireworms, and suppressing leafhoppers.  Following a court ruling in 2023, the EPA made a decision to restore some uses of chlorpyrifos.  As a result, on December 19, 2023, the EPA made a decision to allow its use on alfalfa, apple, asparagus, cherry (tart), citrus, cotton, peach, soybean, strawberry, sugar beet, wheat (spring), and wheat (winter) with potential additional restrictions for geographic location, rate of application, farmworker and other vulnerable populations, and vulnerable species and their habitats that may be needed to address safety of the tolerances.  There is no mention of peanuts and I see no reason to believe that use is going to be restored.