DES MOINES – Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship today received a $10,000 gift from the Iowa Aerial Applicators Association to support the sensitive crops directory and signage programs.  The funds will support the installation of “No Spray” signs that will assist pesticide applicators in locating fields containing sensitive crop and avoid any drift damage.

“This initiative was developed by working closely with both the producers of pesticide sensitive crops and pesticide applicators,” Northey said.  “Iowa is a great place for all agriculture and the new directory and these signs are designed to make sure all aspects of our farm production are able to continue to grow side by side.”

The new signs unveiled today will be available to the producers of pesticide sensitive crops, such as organic production, vineyards, orchards, or fruits and vegetables, and apiaries.  They must register the locations of their crops with the Department and can then order the signs that will be visible to both aerial and land applicators.

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

The $10,000 grant from the Iowa Aerial Applicators Association will be used to offset some of the costs of the signs for 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.

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.

To become part of the Sensitive Crops Directory, producers and beekeepers can no register online at www.iowaagriculture.gov.  To register go to the “Horticulture and Farmers Market” Bureau webpage and click on the “Sensitive Crop Directory” link.  That page also includes information on how producers can order the “No Spray” signs.

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