The Nation - News from Jan. 6, 1989

The Environmental Protection Agency said it plans to forbid use of granular carbofuran, a pesticide used mostly to protect corn and sorghum from worms and insects, because it is killing too many birds. The agency said it knew of more than 40 incidents in which birds had mistaken the pesticide granules on the ground for food, with up to 1,000 bird deaths in a single incident. In addition, eagles, hawks, harriers and other birds of prey have been killed from eating the carcasses of smaller birds that died after eating carbofuran granules, the EPA said. About 6 million to 9 million pounds of granular carbofuran are sold each year.