Oregon Flags Potential Problem With Popular Pesticide Used On Marijuana

[Robert Celt]

The Oregon Department of Agriculture on Friday temporarily removed a popular pesticide from its list of chemicals cannabis growers may use on their crop.

Rodger Voelker, a chemist with OG Analytical, a marijuana testing lab in Eugene, said he recently noticed that abamectin, a common insecticide, had turned up in a handful of cannabis samples submitted by growers who said they grew organically. One mentioned he used only Guardian Mite Spray. Voelker asked for a sample of the mite spray, tested it and detected abamectin, an active ingredient not listed on the product label.

Voelker alerted agriculture officials about his results on Thursday since the mite spray is included on the state's newly released list of pesticides growers may be able to use on their plants. The product is marketed as an all natural pesticide containing products like cinnamon oil and lemon grass oil.

The state on Friday issued a bulletin "out of an abundance of caution" alerting cannabis growers to a potential labeling problem with the mite spray and advising them not to use the product and retailers not to sell it "until further notice."

Bruce Pokarney, a spokesman for the agency, said state officials alerted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which regulates pesticides, about the product.

Pokarney said the state on Friday bought the product from a Portland grow shop and will attempt to test it to see if it contains active ingredients not listed on the label.

"This is essentially a routine sample and testing protocol that we use in the course of a pesticide investigation," he said in an email to The Oregonian/OregonLive.

A man identifying himself as an owner of the Illinois-based company that makes the product said it contains ivermectin, a chemical similar to abamectin. Ivermectin is not listed on the product label as required.

The man said he did not realize the product label had to include all active ingredients. He said the product has been on the market for about a year.

"We weren't trying to pull anything," he said. "We put it in there, and it wasn't on the label and that's our fault."

Neil Bernstein, who owns Roots Garden Supply, a North Portland grow shop that serves cannabis growers, said the product was very popular among growers for its effectiveness against mites.

"This product became wildly popular because it was more effective than a harsh chemical," he said.

Bernstein said he removed the product from his shelves on Friday.

News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Oregon Flags Potential Problem With Popular Pesticide Used On Marijuana
Author: Noelle Crombie
Contact: The Oregonian
Photo Credit: AP
Website: The Oregonian

 

[Gaffle]

This is what scares me about big business + cannabis. This article may not be about large scale growers, but once a large farm is going they will have pesticides that will be approved, among other not so friendly ingredients.

I feel that this cannabis business should stay within small business scale. I personally would not use a product that was made via large scale means.

This topic will come again, mark my words. At some point there will be a large grow operation that starts to use pesticides that were "approved" by some government regulatory board. Sure it happens in all other agricultural settings, but that doesn't make it right.

I oppose chemical pesticides, my grow operation will be as natural as possible.

Now I do happen to be part jack-ass. This is all my own opinion without much fact gathering. I have not yet had any infestation that could damage a entire crop. I would try my hardest to not resort to chemical warefare.

Maybe some of the pest solutions for small operations are used with no bad effect, that's fine, but its still up for conversation in regards to the larger business growers that are eyeing the market. How friendly would the Ohio monopoly be on the crop? Some big business would eventually use chemicals that none of us would willingly spray into our lungs.

 

[olos]

Capitalists don't care if they poison you as long as they don't get caught.

 

[PLGreen]

Isn't Ivermectin the active ingredient in Heartgard. a heartworm medicine for dogs? I don't care for pesticides on my smoke. We already ingest so many poisons as it is.

 

[Radogast]

This is what scares me about big business + cannabis. This article may not be about large scale growers, but once a large farm is going they will have pesticides that will be approved, among other not so friendly ingredients.

I feel that this cannabis business should stay within small business scale. I personally would not use a product that was made via large scale means.

This topic will come again, mark my words. At some point there will be a large grow operation that starts to use pesticides that were "approved" by some government regulatory board. Sure it happens in all other agricultural settings, but that doesn't make it right.

I oppose chemical pesticides, my grow operation will be as natural as possible.

Now I do happen to be part jack-ass. This is all my own opinion without much fact gathering. I have not yet had any infestation that could damage a entire crop. I would try my hardest to not resort to chemical warefare.

Maybe some of the pest solutions for small operations are used with no bad effect, that's fine, but its still up for conversation in regards to the larger business growers that are eyeing the market. How friendly would the Ohio monopoly be on the crop? Some
big business would eventually use chemicals that none of us would willingly spray into our lungs.

I grow with soil, light, and water.

After harvest, I transplant a new seedling or clone into the old soil, add mycorrhizal type fungi and worm castings.

For a natural pesticide. I use 1 part neem oil to 99 parts water to control spider mites.
(Neem oil is squeezed from the neem tree and biodegrades in about 24 hours.)

That is my entire growing routine for the last last several months.

- - -

I noticed you took a long look at Doc Bud's hi-brix system. For healthy plants, large / tasty yields, and excellent growing support. It would be almost impossible to do better than Doc Bud's Hi-Brix.

- - -

I looked to see if you had started a grow journal yet, but all I saw was a thread from last october about air intake for a grow under the stairs. If you want to switch from researching to growing successfully, the fastest way to collect advice is with a grow journal at 420 magazine.


I wish you good growing, Gaffle

 

[Gaffle]

I noticed you took a long look at Doc Bud's hi-brix system. For healthy plants, large / tasty yields, and excellent growing support. It would be almost impossible to do better than Doc Bud's Hi-Brix.

- - -

I looked to see if you had started a grow journal yet, but all I saw was a thread from last october about air intake for a grow under the stairs. If you want to switch from researching to growing successfully, the fastest way to collect advice is with a grow journal at 420 magazine.

After reading through some of Docs brix thread (which is hard being there are 600+ pages) I have concluded that I will grow high brix as well. My CC was comprised 2 days ago so when new cards arrive I will contact Doc right away.

I did a Google search about high brix and there is so much positive info about that growing method. The science about healthy plants and resistance to pests is most impressive. This expands far past our beloved herb too.

I was at a grow shop a few days ago and the clerk was talking to a customer about pest control. The customer has some kind of infestation going on and he was looking for a solution. Clerk was all pumped about some product you can spray during veg and flower. Customer kept reiterating "you can spray during flower", clerk said, "Oh yeah, and the taste is just fine."

I know nothing about said product, maybe it's cool. High brix just seems like a good fit to alleviate most of these pest problems. If I do have any problems I would also resort to a natural pesticide. I have not looked to see what kind of natural products were out there, but I knew I would eventually find products I would feel comfortable to use.

Radogast, the support from 420 is f'ing great. My seeds are coming and I cannot wait for my first journal. I appreciate all the support from this site.