It appears the answer is no at this time, but it was possible for a few weeks earlier this spring.

It started when U.S. growers learned Zeneca Ag Products Achieve 80DG, which is approved for use in Canada, was about $6 per acre cheaper than the Achieve 40DG formulation that the firm markets in the states. The herbicide controls grassy weeds, including wild oats and foxtail, in cereal grains.

While both formulations of Achieve are registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Zeneca only markets the more expensive and lower concentration 40DG product in the states. Because of currency differences and different application rates with the more concentrated 80DG formulation sold in Canada, it was considerably cheaper for U.S. growers to bring the herbicide across the border.

As a result, North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture Roger Johnson declared it a fair trade issue, since Canadian and U.S. growers compete in the same worldwide cereal market, and authorized the sale of the Canadian product. While a herbicide must have the correct U.S. label information for U.S. Customs to allow the product to cross the border, Johnson felt this could be done once dealers and farmers had an EPA label in hand. In addition, Minnesota officials asked Zeneca to register Achieve 80DG herbicide for their state.

Zeneca representatives met with Johnson and EPA officials and maintained that this arrangement violates federal pesticide rules. After several weeks of discussion, EPA officials stopped signing import forms for the herbicide, pending a final decision…