On September 21, 2018 CPDA in collaboration with the Far West Agribusiness Association (FWAA) sent a letter to WSDA requesting that the agency temporarily delay the implementation of its proposed plan to establish synonym names for principal functioning agents used in spray adjuvant formulations. WSDA had recently shared with CPDA their intent to develop Principal Functioning Agent text for spray adjuvant ingredients that would be acceptable to both the agency and registrants, with the goal of updating information for all existing ingredients in their database by the end of 2018.

CPDA and FWAA signaled that implementation of this initiative before industry has had an opportunity to thoroughly vet the plan and provide input to the Department would be premature. Both groups cited concerns related to Confidential Business Information (CBI) protections that could possibly be eroded under the Department’s proposed use of synonym names.

In the joint industry letter sent to Kelle Davis of the WSDA Pesticide Management Division, CPDA and FWAA emphasized that the process would force the disclosure of CBI for products registered by WSDA. Both associations urged WSDA to continue the registration of new adjuvants in accordance with current practice, pending industry’s review of the naming proposal so as to avoid a potential backlog of products awaiting Department approval.

CPDA has established a work group to review the WSDA list in order to develop recommendations that would ensure the continued protection of CBI. All CPDA members are invited to participate on this work group. For more information, please contact CPDA Director of Regulatory Affairs Sylvia Palmer (spalmer@cpda.com) or call (202) 386-7407.