Do you use Methyl bromide and its associated end-use products?

Jun 25, 2025
By Farms.com

Methyl bromide use in pre-plant soil fumigation cancelled

Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has released a re-evaluation and special review decision for methyl bromide, a common fumigant used in enclosed spaces like warehouses and transport containers. The decisions are part of Canada’s efforts to ensure pesticides are used safely and effectively.

These rules are especially important for agri-retailers and farmers using the fumigant in storage areas.

Methyl bromide remains allowed in Canada but with restrictions. It may only be used for specific purposes like fumigating warehouses or commodities for quarantine and pre-shipment (QPS) reasons. However, its use for pre-plant soil fumigation, including products like Terr-O-Gas 67, is cancelled immediately.

The Special Review Decision (SRD2025-01), prompted by the European Union’s complete ban on methyl bromide, focuses on improving safety for workers and bystanders. It introduces new health and safety measures that must be implemented within 24 months.

Key safety changes include:

Reducing the exposure limit from 3.0 parts per million (ppm) to 1.0 ppm.

Mandatory use of updated personal protective equipment (PPE).

New respiratory protection rules based on real-time air monitoring.

Annual training for all workers involved in using methyl bromide.

Completion of Fumigation Management Plans (FMPs) before any application.

To protect the public, buffer zones must be established around fumigated structures during treatment and aeration. These measures aim to reduce health risks related to exposure and improve overall safety in fumigation practices.

Although methyl bromide can still be used in Canada, its application now comes with added responsibilities.

Photo Credit: istock-fotokostic

Video: Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes | Field Talk Friday

Field Talk Friday | Dr. John Murphy | Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes

Most of us spend our time managing what we can see above ground—plant height, leaf color, stand counts, and yield potential. But the deeper you dig into agronomy, the more you realize that some of the most important processes driving crop performance are happening just millimeters below the surface.

In this episode of Field Talk Friday, Dr. John Murphy continues the soil biology series by diving into one of the most fascinating topics in modern agronomy: root exudates and the role they play in shaping the microbial world around plant roots.

Roots are not passive structures simply pulling nutrients out of the soil. They are active participants in the underground ecosystem. Plants constantly release compounds into the soil—sugars, amino acids, organic acids, and other molecules—that act as both energy sources and signals for soil microbes.