LOCAL WINEMAKERS FEAR NEW HERBICIDE WILL HURT TEXAS INDUSTRY

  

Local wineries are apprehensive as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency looks to approve a new herbicide for use in Texas.

Enlist Duo contains “2,4-D”- a high volatility herbicide commonly used on pastures, lawns, and cereal crops. The chemical is already being used on engineered corn and soybean crops in 15 states, and now the EPA is proposing to approve the use of it in 19 states-including Texas- and extending its use on engineered cotton seeds. That means the chemical would be able to be used on the 3.7 million acres of cotton fields in the High Plains.

Located west of Lubbock in the Panhandle, the Texas High Plains include a viticulture area which encompasses over 8 million acres and grows over 80% of Texas’ wine grapes.

Jim Chisolm, the owner of Chappell Hill’s Texas Star Winery, says he’s lost sleep over the proposed expansion. Chisholm says the grapes he uses comes from the High Plains:

Regulators say Enlist Duo is formulated to drift less than the older versions of the herbicide. However, many in the wine industry are worried farmers will not spend extra money on the less volatile version of the chemicals.

Chisolm says the chemical could have a devastating impact on the local wine industry, potentially forcing wine producers to use grapes from out of state:

According to a report by the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association, the wine industry contributed close to $2 billion to the Texas economy in 2013.

The EPA says they are reviewing public comments and is expected to make a final decision on the proposed expansion early this year.