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The Bush administration on Friday won international approval for U.S. farmers to use thousands of tons of a potent ozone-destroying pesticide without having to dip substantially into large stockpiles that were recently revealed.

The pesticide, methyl bromide, was banned under an international treaty nearly two years ago except for uses deemed critical. U.S. officials have secured exemptions to the ban so that growers can use it to kill soil pests for tomatoes, strawberries and other crops in agricultural states like California and Florida.

At a meeting Friday in New Delhi, treaty partners approved use of just over 5,900 tons for those needs in 2008, said Michael Williams, spokesman for the Montreal Protocol, which works to phase out substances that deplete the ozone layer.

The decision came over the objections of European nations and despite the recommendation of the treaty's own technical committee. That panel had urged a more substantial cut in the U.S. request on grounds that other countries have proved that alternative chemicals and methods can successfully replace methyl bromide.

Before Friday's session, Swedish delegate Husamuddin Ahmadzai said in a telephone interview that the U.S. pace in reducing methyl bromide reduction “is certainly undermining the spirit of the Montreal Protocol and setting a bad example for other countries.”

Before Friday's session, Swedish delegate Husamuddin Ahmadzai said in a telephone interview that the U.S. pace in reducing methyl bromide reduction “is certainly undermining the spirit of the Montreal Protocol and setting a bad example for other countries.”

The Bush administration contends that the stockpiles existed before the 2005 ban and thus are not subject to a treaty rule allowing new production only if existing, available stockpiles cannot cover the need.

U.S. officials have said the inventory is held by 35 companies and is needed to ease growers' adjustment to the methyl bromide phase-out that was ordered 14 years ago

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