USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture has invested $1.8 million in four projects as part of the Methyl Bromide Transition Program.
Methyl bromide is an odorless, colorless gas previously used in many agricultural and related systems as a soil and structural fumigant to control various pests. However, Methyl bromide depletes the stratospheric ozone layer. As part of the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Government agreed to reduce methyl bromide incrementally from 1991 until the complete phase-out in 2005. The Methyl Bromide Transition Program supports the discovery and implementation of practical pest management alternatives for commodities and uses affected by the methyl bromide phase-out. Funded projects include integrated and
Extension-only projects seeking to solve pest problems in key agricultural production and post-harvest management systems, processing facilities, and transport systems for which methyl bromide has been withdrawn or withdrawal is imminent. The 2023 Awardees include Arkansas State University, University of Delaware, Kansas State University and North Carolina State University.
