News

DuPont Sued Over Imprelis Damage

A class action lawsuit was filed on July 14, 2011, in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware against DuPont regarding Imprelis herbicide. The action charges DuPont with consumer fraud, unjust enrichment, negligence, product liability and damage to land under both Delaware and Michigan law.

The plaintiffs allege that DuPont misrepresented the safety of Imprelis to consumers, and concealed or omitted the fact that Imprelis caused serious environmental damage to trees.

Homeowners and turfgrass managers have observed damage to certain tree and shrub species following spring applications of the new broadleaf turfgrass herbicide, Imprelis (active ingredient aminocyclopyrachlor).

DuPont advises to not apply Imprelis where Norway spruce (Picea abies) and eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) are located. But in June 2011, reports from across the Eastern and Midwestern U.S. indicated other conifers, as well as some deciduous species, are showing similar injury that may be due to Imprelis applications, said Laura Jull, associate horticulture professor, University of Wisconsin.

Other species that have shown injury include white spruce (Picea glauca), Black Hills spruce (P. glauca ‘Densata’), Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens), northern white-cedar or arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis), dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), firs (Abies spp.), yews (Taxus spp.) and several other woody ornamental species, she said.

DuPont Professional Products set up a hotline for Imprelis users to get answers to questions. For details visit www.imprelis-facts.com.

News Notes

H-2B Changes Expedited

The date of implementation for the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) new wage methodology rule for the H-2B seasonal nonagricultural foreign worker program is now Oct. 1, 2011, instead of January 1, 2012.

These proposed changes would increase filing requirements and advertising timelines for employers seeking to fill positions. DOL’s decision to implement the new methodology earlier will only exacerbate its impact on small businesses. Employers will be subject to stricter requirements to hire any and all available U.S. workers, despite historically low interest and retention of these applicants.

“DOL’s proposed changes will render the program unworkable for responsible landscape installation and maintenance employers seeking a legal, seasonal workforce,” said Hadley Sosnoff, Director of Government Relations, American Nursery and Landscape Association.

For more: www.anla.org


Athens Select Program to End This Year

The Athens Select Marketing Association has decided to suspend the Athens Select program after the 2011 growing season. Athens Select was founded in 1999 by John Rader of EuroAmerican Propagators, Kerstin Ouellet of Pen & Petal and University of Georgia horticulture professor Allan Armitage.

The program is a collection of heat- and humidity-tolerant plant varieties selected by Armitage at the university’s trial gardens. Licensed North American propagators are Botany Lane Greenhouse, Dupont Nursery, Emerald Coast Growers, EuroAmerican Propagators, Hilltop Greenhouse, James Greenhouses, Magnolia Gardens Nursery, and Les Entreprises Normand Tellier.

Several currently licensed propagators will continue to carry Athens Select varieties, but not under the Athens Select brand. Many of the Athens Select varieties that were included in the Southern Living Plant Collection will continue to be propagated and marketed to retailers under the brand name Southern Living Plant Collection.

For more: www.athensselect.com