Associations weigh in on proposed California ban

Two industry associations, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), and the United Producers, Formulators & Distributors Association (UPFDA), have weighed in on the implications of the proposed law in California: Senate Assembly Bill 1788. Also known as the California Ecosystems Protection Act, AB 1788 would ban the use of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) in the state, as well as the use of first-generation anticoagulant rodenticides on state-controlled property.

See what the NPMA and UPFDA have to say:

NPMA:

We hope California lawmakers and officials do the right thing and prioritize the protection of public health and property. The science tells us that AB 1788, in its current form, would have left the people of California — and much of our food supply — more vulnerable to rodent infestations. The very recent real-world example, of the California Environmental Protection Agency building being infested with rodents and in need of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticide (SGARs) to manage the infestation, should tell you all you need to know: Reasonable people should not enact this terrifying text into law.

Not only would the bill have failed to protect public health, but it would have failed miserably to protect wildlife. It wouldn’t have prevented non-licensed individuals from purchasing SGARs over the internet. It wouldn’t have cleaned up illegally applied SGARs at the tens of thousands of marijuana grow sites in California. What it would have done, however, is prevent pest management professionals from protecting the public.

UPFDA:

Rodenticides play a very important role in effective integrated pest management. Restricting these tools is not in the best interest of maintaining public health. California already is experiencing some of the rodent-borne diseases that can result from inadequate rodent control. We did not think it was in the best interest of Californians for this bill to pass, and are glad it’s being looked at it more closely before moving forward.

Read more: Industry advocates weigh in on California’s proposed rodenticide ban