Proposed re-evaluation decision PRVD2026-02, Famoxadone and its associated end-use product

• Pest Management Regulatory Agency
• 31 March 2026
• ISSN: 1925-0967 (PDF version)
• Catalogue number: H113-27/2026-2E-PDF (PDF version)

Summary

Table of contents

• Proposed re-evaluation decision for famoxadone and its associated end-use product
• Risk mitigation measures
• Next steps
• Other information
• Additional scientific information

Proposed re-evaluation decision for famoxadone and its associated end-use product

Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, all registered pesticides must be regularly re-evaluated by Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) to ensure that they continue to meet health and environmental safety standards and continue to have value. The re-evaluation considers data and information from pesticide manufacturers, incident reports and other regulatory agencies. Health Canada applies internationally accepted risk assessment methods, risk management approaches and policies to all re-evaluations.

Famoxadone is a protectant and locally systemic fungicide used to control early and late blight in potato and tomato. It is also used to control caneberry spur blight, caneberry anthracnose, cane botrytis, and preharvest fruit rot in Crop subgroup 13-07A: Caneberries (blackberry, red and black raspberry, loganberry, cultivars and hybrids of these). Famoxadone belongs to the group of fungicides classified as quinone outside inhibitors (Group 11) that target complex III of fungal respiration (ubiquinol oxidase, quinone outside site). There is one technical and one commercial class product registered in Canada. The commercial end-use product is a dry flowable that is co-formulated with cymoxanil. It is applied as a foliar spray by ground application (field sprayer or air assist sprayer) and aerial application. Registered products containing famoxadone can be found in the Pesticide Product Information Database and in Appendix I of the full version of Proposed Re-evaluation Decision PRVD2026-02, Famoxadone and its associated end-use product.

This summary presents the proposed re-evaluation decision for famoxadone, including any proposed amendments (risk mitigation measures) to protect human health and the environment, as well as the science evaluation on which the proposed decision is based. All products containing famoxadone that are registered in Canada are subject to this proposed re-evaluation decision. PRVD2026-02 is subject to a 90-day public consultation period^{Footnote 1}, during which the public (including the pesticide manufacturers and stakeholders) may submit written comments and additional information to PMRA Publications. The final re-evaluation decision will be published after taking into consideration the comments received during the consultation period that are directly related to PRVD2026-02.

Health Canada, under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, has conducted all evaluations considered necessary with respect to the health and environmental risks and value of famoxadone based on available scientific information in accordance with subsection 16(6) of the Pest Control Products Act. Health Canada is proposing for public consultation, pursuant to section 28 of the Pest Control Products Act, the continued registration of famoxadone and associated end-use product registered for sale and use in Canada under section 21 of the Pest Control Products Act.

Famoxadone is a quinone outside inhibitors fungicide that has value in providing a pest management solution. Based on the current use pattern, potential risks to human health (occupational, dietary and bystander) and the environment (aquatic and terrestrial organisms) are considered to be acceptable when products containing famoxadone are used according to proposed label updates (Appendix VIII of PRVD2026-02).

Risk mitigation measures

Registered pesticide product labels include specific directions for use. Directions include risk mitigation measures to protect human health, the environment and ensure the product has acceptable value which must be followed by law. The proposed label amendments as a result of the re-evaluation of famoxadone, are summarized below. Refer to Appendix VIII of PRVD2026-02 for details.

Human health

• To further minimize the potential for occupational exposure for workers:
  • Add personal protective equipment for airblast application.
• Label improvements to meet current labelling standards:
  • Update spray drift and tank-mix statements.

Environment

• To protect the environment, the following proposed risk mitigation measures are proposed:
  • Standard environmental hazard statements to inform users of the potential toxic effects on aquatic organisms, birds, small wild mammals and terrestrial plants.
  • Spray buffer zones of 1–2 metres for non-target terrestrial habitats and from 1–225 metres for aquatic habitats.
  • Standard precautionary runoff statements to reduce the potential for runoff of famoxadone to adjacent aquatic habitats.

Next steps

Upon publication of proposed re-evaluation decision PRVD2026-02, the public, including the registrants and stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments during the 90-day public consultation period.

Health Canada will accept written comments on this proposal up to 90 days from the date of publication of PRVD2026-02. Comments on the proposed decision can be submitted during the consultation period to the PMRA through PMRA Publications, or the Public Engagement Portal (Public Engagement Forms - Consultation Comment). For more information or if you have questions, contact the PMRA's Pest Management Information Service.

Before making a re-evaluation decision on famoxadone under section 21 of the Pest Control Products Act, the comments received during the consultation period that are directly related to the proposed decision, such as comments directed to the Science evaluation, will be taken into consideration in preparation of the final re-evaluation decision document. A science-based approach will be applied in making a final decision on famoxadone.

In accordance with subsection 28(5) of the Pest Control Products Act, Health Canada will then publish a final re-evaluation decision document, which will include the decision, the reasons for it, a summary of the comments received directly related to the proposed re-evaluation decision during the consultation period, and Health Canada's response to these comments.

Refer to Appendix I of PRVD2026-02 for details on specific products impacted by this proposed decision.

Other information

The relevant confidential test data on which the proposed decision is based (as referenced in Appendix IX of PRVD2026-02) are available for public inspection, upon application, in Health Canada's Reading Room. For more information, please contact the PMRA's Pest Management Information Service.

Additional scientific information

No additional scientific data are being requested at this time.