DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today encouraged Iowans with pesticide sensitive crops (such as organic production, vineyards, orchards, or fruits and vegetables) and apiaries to register their locations with the Department.  A directory is being developed to provide pesticide applicators with the locations of crops that are most susceptible to damage from pesticide drift.

“This new directory will be able to help both producers and pesticide applicators,” Northey said.  “By taking this extra step to help protect producers of pesticide sensitive crops and apiaries, we are trying to make sure Iowa continues to be a great place for all types of agriculture.”

Previously, only apiary locations were available, but an expanded directory will also include crops that are especially sensitive to pesticide drift.

The intended crops for inclusion in the registry are vineyards (minimum one acre), orchards (minimum one acre), certified organic crops (minimum one acre), and fruit and vegetable crops (minimum ½ acre).  The crops at each registered location must be intended for commercial use, be susceptible to pesticide drift damage, and meet the minimum acreage requirements.

Producers and beekeepers will be required to confirm their registration information between January 1 and April 1 each year in order to keep the directory current from year to year.

The Department has also ordered field markers that will be available on a cost share basis to registered producers.  Producers can post the markers at the physical location of the pesticide sensitive crop at a height above the crop canopy that will make them visible to both ground and aerial applicators.

To become part of the Sensitive Crops Directory, producers and beekeepers must complete the Producer Registration Form and fax it to 515-242-5015 or mail it to Paul Ovrom, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Horticulture and Farmers Markets Bureau, 502 East 9th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319.  The form can be found at www.iowaagriculture.gov.

This new, expanded Sensitive Crops Directory is the result of collaboration between the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Aerial Applicators Association.

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Click Here to Download the Sensitive Crops Application