Methyl bromide regulation: All crops should not be treated equally

Abstract

Over the next 7 years, all agricultural uses of methyl bromide (MBr) will be phased out, in compliance with mandates from the US. Environmental Protection Agency and the UN Environment Programmed. This compound has been widely applied as a soil fumigant, and its loss will be felt throughout the state, though more in some crops and regions than in others. Research shows that the heaviest economic loss will be sustained by strawberry growers in the Central and South Coast regions and by nursery operations statewide. A phase-out beginning with the low-value uses of MBr would avert some of the inefficiencies implied by canceling all agricultural uses at once.