EPA Greenlights Pesticide on Sugar Beets: Yawn-Worthy Farm Safety Update
Published Date: 9/29/2026
Rule
Summary
The EPA just set safe limits for a pesticide called sodium salt of acifluorfen on sugar beets, helping farmers and food makers keep things safe and legal. This rule kicks in on September 29, 2026, and anyone who disagrees has until November 30, 2026, to speak up. It’s a win for agriculture and food safety with clear deadlines and no surprise costs.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Legal residue limit: sugar beet roots
EPA established a legal tolerance of 0.06 parts per million (ppm) for residues of sodium salt of acifluorfen on sugar beet roots, effective September 29, 2026. Agricultural producers, food manufacturers, and pesticide manufacturers (NAICS 111, 311, 32532) may need to ensure crops and products comply with this 0.06 ppm limit.
Removal of 0.1 ppm emergency tolerances
EPA is removing the Section 18 emergency exemption tolerances that had been set at 0.1 ppm for sodium salt of acifluorfen on sugar beet root and sugar beet leaf, effective September 29, 2026. The previously time-limited 0.1 ppm entries under 40 CFR 180.383(b) are being removed.
EPA finds tolerance level safe for consumers
EPA concluded that the 0.06 ppm tolerance for sugar beet roots is safe: acute dietary exposure is below 1% of the acute population-adjusted dose (aPAD) for the general U.S. population (3.9% for females 13-49), and chronic dietary exposure uses 87% of the chronic PAD (cPAD) for infants less than 1 year old. EPA also determined sodium salt of acifluorfen is not expected to pose a cancer risk at doses below those causing liver changes in rodents.
No tolerance for sugar beet tops
EPA decided not to establish the proposed tolerance for the commodity "sugar beet, tops" because it is not considered a significant feed item. That decision is based on revisions to the feedstuffs guidance (OPPTS 860.1000, June 2008).
FQPA safety factor reduced to 1X
EPA reduced the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) additional safety factor for infants and children from the default 10X to 1X for sodium salt of acifluorfen based on completeness of the toxicity database and other weight-of-evidence findings.
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