Companies pay penalties for misbranded herbicide-fertilizer

A North Carolina manufacturer and Wisconsin distributor have agreed to pay civil monetary penalties to settle allegations that they sold a misbranded pesticide and altered labels on the pesticide product.

Syngenta Crop Protection, of Greensboro, N.C., will pay a civil penalty of $9,152, and Eau Claire Co-op Oil Co. of Eau Claire, Wis., will pay a civil penalty of $6,864, according to administrative consent agreements filed by the Environmental Protecetion Agency. Syngenta is the official EPA registrant for Prodiamine Pro F 0.38% Herbicide, while Eau Claire Co-op Oil distributes the herbicide in its Award Turf Fertilizer with 0.38% Barricade product.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture found the misbranded bags of Award Turf Fertilizer during an inspetion of a lawn care business in March. The bags bore conflicting stick-on labels for the percentage of active ingredients. The labels also partially covered the directions for ther product's safe and proper use.

Through their approvals of their respective settlements, Syngenta and and Eau Claire Co-op Oil certified their operations are now in compliance with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.