Florida Grower's INFOCUS
Three Questions With Mike Herrington

Editor’s Note: Mike Herrington of AMVAC provides technical sales advice
to customers, assists in university research trials, trains distributor reps and
growers in product use, and helps to develop new application equipment.
AMVAC is a midsize agricultural products company that focuses on markets
such as crop protection, turf and ornamental management, and public and
animal health.

1 Florida Grower: What have you been hearing from growers about the phase-out of methyl bromide?

Mike Herrington: First, let me say that these views are my own. From my view of things, the phase-out of fumigating with methyl bromide has been going on now for several years, but many growers are only now realizing that it is actually happening. In the past, many growers believed methyl bromide would be around forever. Today, I see concern on their faces regarding present and future changes. Not only is the availability of methyl bromide being limited, but the price has risen to the point that it is almost unaffordable. All other input costs are also rising, and farmers are seeing little to no increase in the price for their crops.

2 Florida Grower: Does AMVAC have any products that will fit in the absence of methyl bromide?

Herrington: Farming in Florida’s environment is no easy task. It takes knowledge, skill, the right tools, and a little luck. When it comes to fumigation, AMVAC provides several tools that have proven successful. The first of these, Vapam, has been used for generations with very good results. Most recently, farmers have chosen its sister product, K-Pam, and now it appears to be the new standard for fumigation in the future. Methyl bromide has been a very good product that will be hard to replace, but farmers will find the answer with the tools available. K-Pam is a fumigant that has broad-spectrum control of weeds, diseases, and nematodes. Farmers that have used K-Pam over the past few years have found that they can continue producing the high quality and quantity of fruits and vegetables that the U.S. demands.

3 Florida Grower: In terms of pests and/or diseases, are there any that you are seeing out there that are particularly challenging?

Herrington: I have been involved in Florida farming for many years and have learned several things. Two that come to mind are: Nothing in farming is easy and never underestimate what farmers have to deal with every day. With respect to controlling pests through fumigation, I’d have to say the No.1 overall pest around the state for vegetables is nutsedge. No fumigant totally eradicates nutsedge, but what you want to do is control it and other pests over the growing season such that yields are maximized. There are tools that can be used to control nutsedge, and K-Pam is one of them. But it’s not just using K-Pam; you have to know how to use it. I’ve worked closely with the researchers at the University of Florida, and we’ve learned about rates, timing, and equipment and have proven that K-Pam can successfully control nutsedge, as well as most other soil pests. Fumigating practices in Florida will change drastically over the next few years, and I’m excited to be a part of the solution and to be part of AMVAC. Change is sometimes difficult, but it also creates opportunities. I feel like we all have an opportunity to grow with this change.