Acetochlor is a herbicide widely used on corn in Minnesota, and use has expanded to soybeans and sugar beets. Common trade names for acetochlor include Harness, Keystone, SureStart, Surpass, Volley, and Warrant. It, along with atrazine, another widely used corn herbicide, has been frequently detected in Minnesota's surface water, at times at elevated levels. The following sections explain acetochlor's role in Minnesota agriculture, its impact on Minnesota's environment, and actions being taken to reduce the presence of acetochlor in water.
- General information; acetochlor's role as a corn herbicide
- Minnesota acetochlor product registration and sales
- Acetochlor use in Minnesota
- Acetochlor and Minnesota's environment
- Acetochlor surface water quality impairments
- Voluntary Water Quality Best Management Practices for Acetochlor
Current activities and updates
- August 2017: Increase in Acetochlor Detections
Potential Reasons of Increase in Acetochlor Detections in Minnesota Surface Waters (PDF)
- October 2013: Response to acetochlor water quality impairments
Two south-central Minnesota streams, the Le Sueur River and Little Beauford Ditch, are on the state's list of impaired waters because of in-stream concentrations of acetochlor. A response to the impairments was developed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture in collaboration with an advisory committee and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Le Sueur River and Little Beauford Ditch Acetochlor Impairment Response Report (PDF)
- March 2010: Revised Acetochlor BMPs
Best Management Practices (BMPs) for acetochlor were revised in March 2010 to better address how acetochlor products are currently used and to provide better guidance on application setbacks and filter strip use.