WASCO Morrow County Grain Growers has been fined $10,000 by the Environmental Protection Agency for having outdated labels on pesticide products in its Wasco store.

The labels lacked updated first aid and personal protective equipment information, said Chad Schulze, agency pesticide enforcement coordinator. An Oregon Department of Agriculture inspector alerted the agency after a 2010 inspection, according to an agency press release. 

After the EPA approves a change in labeling standards, organizations affected by the change have 18 months make the necessary updates, Schulze said.

In this case, changes were made in 2003 and Morrow County Grain Growers were either not provided updated labels from Nufarm Americas Inc. or the updated labels were not used by the cooperative. 

The products sold and distributed were Weedone LV6EC and Weedar 64, both are broadleaf herbicides, according to the news release. 

Morrow County Grain Growers did not respond to East Oregonian attempts to contact the organization for comment. 

Nufarm Americas sends products to companies such as Morrow County Grain Growers in bulk, after which the product is repackaged and labels are applied.

To avoid this in the future there needs to be good communication between the registrant and those doing the repackaging, Schulze said. 

According to the press release, Nufarm Americas has also been fined $60,000 for the labeling discrepancy. 

Anna Willard