By Emily Unglesbee
DTN Staff Reporter
ROCKVILLE, Md. (DTN) — Production of the insecticide Lorsban is ending, but its active ingredient, chlorpyrifos, is likely to remain on the agricultural landscape in the years to come.
Corteva Agriscience took the industry by surprise when it announced in early February that it was voluntarily ending production of chlorpyrifos in 2020. As the largest manufacturer of the insecticide, primarily under the brand name Lorsban, this loss will likely shrink chlorpyrifos availability in the short term, industry experts told DTN.
However, EPA has vowed to continue its re-registration of the active ingredient, ensuring that generic formulations of the chemical will remain legal to use in the years to come, the agency informed DTN. The EPA has recently defended the chemical against legal challenges based on concerns around the neurodevelopmental effects it can have on people, particularly infants. In recent years, some states and countries have initiated bans on chlorpyrifos, such as Hawaii, California, New York, the UK and the EU.
