EU Raises Glyphosate MRL

SASKATOON - Jun 25/12 - SNS -- The European Union has boosted the new maximum residue limit (MRL) for glyphosate in lentil from 0.1 to 10 parts per million (PPM), the same level as for field peas. This compares to an MRL of 4 PPM in Canada and 8 PPM in the United States.

The revised MRL comes more than a year after shipments of lentils to the EU were found to contain glyphosate levels higher than 0.1 PPM. Since then, Pulse Canada has led the Canadian efforts and worked closely with the international pulse industry, including the U.S.A. Dry Pea and Lentil Council, the international pulse industry federation CICILS-IPTIC, Monsanto, the Grain and Feed Trade Association (GAFTA), and COCERAL -- in moving an application for a revised MRL through the EU regulatory process.

Pulse Canada is also working to establish an MRL for glyphosate in lentil at Codex Alimentarius (the internationally recognized code of standards for food safety), which many pulse-importing countries refer to for import requirements when they do not have their own standards. It is expected that Codex will have an MRL for lentil in July 2012.

Growers are advised to always be careful to ensure they are complying with Canadian laws for selling lentils. The Canadian MRL for selling lentils within Canada is 4 PPM and growers should always follow label directions regarding rates and timing