EPA v. HELM Agro US, Inc. at Port of Savannah

Case summary

On or around April 30, 2025, the licensed customs broker Gilscot-Guidroz International Company Inc. (hereinafter Gilscot) filed an entry via the U.S. Customs and Border Protection?s (CBP) Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Data Processing System on behalf of HELM for the importation of one shipment of the pesticide Paraquat TC (EPA Reg. No. 74530-37), under Entry Number EAQ-00120183, originally filed under entry number EAQ-00119086, that arrived at the Port of Savannah, Georgia (Port Code 1703) on or around April 11, 2025. The shipment contained 160 totes, each tote weighing 1,055 kilograms for a total of 168,800 kilograms of Paraquat TC. A copy of the label affixed to the imported product was uploaded to the ACE Document Image System (DIS). After reviewing the product label that was uploaded to DIS, the EPA determined that the label on the imported product did not match the most recently EPA-approved label from May 1, 2023, and contained directions for use from the label accepted by the EPA on February 27, 2020. Specifically, the Page 2 of 5 Terrestrial Food + Feed Crop and Terrestrial Feed Crop subsection in the Directions for Use section were inconsistent with the most recent EPA accepted label as described below: ? States ?; beans; dried-type, beans; mung; beans-succulent (lima); beans-succulent (snap)? instead of ?Beans, dry; Beans (lima, snap)? ? States ?citrus fruits? instead of ?Citron melon; Citrus citron? ? States ?corn (unspecified); corn, field; corn, pop; corn, sweet? instead of ?Corn (pop, field, sweet, and seed)? ? States ?legume vegetables? instead of ?Clover and other Legumes? ? States ?mint...spearmint? instead of ?Mint (peppermint and spearmint)? ? States ?sugar beet; sugar crops; sugarcane? instead of ?Sugar apple; Sugar beets; Sugarcane? ? Include unapproved language such as ?garbanzos (including chickpeas)?, ?oats?, ?orchards (unspecified)?, and ?vegetables (unspecified)? Pursuant to Section 2(q)(1)(F) of FIFRA, 7 U.S.C ? 136(q)(1)(F), a pesticide is misbranded if the labeling accompanying it does not contain directions for use which are necessary for effecting the purpose for which the product is intended and if complied with, together with any requirements imposed under section 3(d) of this Act, are adequate to protect health and the environment. Based on the incorrect directions for use, the product Paraquat TC, which was imported and therefore distributed or sold by HELM, was misbranded. Pursuant to Section 12(a)(1)(E) of FIFRA, 7 U.S.C. ? 136j(a)(1)(E), it is unlawful for any person in any State to distribute or sell to any person any pesticide which is adulterated or misbranded.

Defendants (1)

• HELM Agro US, Inc.Named in settlement

Facilities (1)

• PORT OF SAVANNAH - IMPORTER: HELM AGRO US, INC.

  2 MAIN ST, SAVANNAH, GA, 31408

  Registry ID: 110070615806

Statutes cited

• FIFRA 12A1E — Adulterated/Misbranded

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• HELM Agro US, Inc. at Port of Savannahentered 2025-10-24

  Primary law: FIFRA

Timeline (2 milestones)

• 2025-10-24Final Order Issued
• 2025-11-06Enforcement Action Data Entered