In a message dated 96-10-03 14:08:57 EDT, [log in to unmask] (Walter
patton) writes:
 
<< Interesting this un approved use of chemicals by the very rightous
 kiwi bee keepers. In the USA the use of chemicals that are not labeled
  and approved for a particular uses is illegal and punisable. What
  other fast and loose ways are practiced down under. Eat American.
 
            Walter
 
 
 >Way back in the dark ages (probably at least six months ago!) I sent a
 >post to the group re. Mavrik, so it's interesting to see the product
 >mentioned again.
 >
 >Mavrik is used to control a number of pests besides ticks and fleas on
 >animals (and varroa and tropilaelaps in bees).  According to the trade
 >brochure I have, it is also recommended for a variety of seed crops,
 >fruits, vegetables and even cut flowers.  Target pests include grey
 >cabbage aphid, clover case bearer moth, blue green aphid, thrips,
 >whitefly, two spotted mite, European red mite, black cherry aphid,
 >leafcurl plum aphid, green peach aphid, and leafroller.
 >
 >Here in New Zealand, Mavrik is used extensively as a pre-blossom
 >insecticide on kiwifruit.  When the chemical was given approval for this
 >use, beekeepers here jumped for joy, because fluvalinate (the active
 >ingredient) is much more bee-friendly for leafroller control than other
 >chemicals such as azinphos-methyl.  Because kiwifruit bloom is
 >staggered, we used to have growers spraying the crop just before
 >blossom in one orchard, and poisoning foraging bees from hives which
 >had been put into flowering blocks in adjacent orchards.  Now we have
 >virutally no bee deaths caused by leafroller sprays in kiwifruit.
 >
 >Mavrik has now also been approved here in New Zealand for thrip
 >control on avocadoes during blooming, which has also significantly
 >reduced the number of bee kills on that crop.
 >
 >What's interesting to me in all of this, however, is that Mavrik has so far
 >not been registered for use on either of these crops as a post-blossom
 >(developing fruit) spray.  I have been told by someone here in New
 >Zealand the reason is that no acceptable residual levels have been
 >established on fruits and vegetables.  I presume this is only because the
 >chemical hasn't gone through the long and involved registration process.
 >
 >In closing, I thought I'd ask the same question I asked many moons ago to
 >the group (and got no replies) -- does anyone know anything more about
 >residue levels of fluvalinate on fruits and vegetables?  Has a limit been
 >set for the chemical on food stuffs anywhere overseas? >>
 
    A word to the wise for Walter, and others (like myself) who campaign for
changes:
 
    As long as you stick to the facts, you will have credibility.  If you
play "fast and loose" with the facts, you lose your audience.
 
    Walter, reread the very quote you posted.  It doesn't refer in any way to
unapproved uses.
 
     Pesticide labels are developed with a lot of testing and careful
consideration.  Conditions vary in different areas, so the labels could be
somewhat different.  I feel quite confident that New Zealand is very
consciencious about the label directions.
 
    Now enforcement, I don't know.  If it is like here, with bee protection
directions on insecticides, well...........  (Enforcement varies from state
to state, and seems quite dependent on the number of pollination
"consumers").
 
[log in to unmask]    Dave Green,  PO Box 1200,  Hemingway,  SC
29554        (Dave & Jan's Pollination Service,  Pot o'Gold Honey Co.)
 
Practical Pollination Home Page            Dave & Janice Green
http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html