This website is best viewed in a browser that supports web standards.
Skip to content or, if you would rather, Skip to navigation.
May 16, 2018DES MOINES, Iowa | By: Bynum
Iowa's record number of complaints about the misuse of pesticides last year has resulted in both online and in-person training for farmers to prevent a repeat of the problem. "Pesticide drift" is the biggest issue, especially when using dicamba. Dicamba has been used on and off for decades, but an increase in weed resistance as well as dicamba-resistant soybeans have led to renewed use.
Organic farmer Dale Raasch owns Bridgewater Farm in Adair County, Iowa. To be certified, he can't use pesticides on his crops, but says damage from pesticide drift last summer cost him $150,000 in crop losses.
In 2017, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship received a record 271 complaints of pesticide misuse. Farmers concerned about this year's crops can register their operations online at driftwatch.org, which allows applicators to identify areas that should not be sprayed. Iowa State University agronomy professor Bob Hartzler says risk can be minimized if there is proper communication between conventional and organic farmers.
To avoid using harmful chemicals, Raasch says those who grow organic crops often rely on the old-fashioned way of farming.
Practical Farmers of Iowa has created a video series on YouTube about pesticide drift and how to best respond.
KXCV-KRNW
Wells Hall | 800 University Drive | Maryville, MO 64468
660.562.1163 | 660.562.1832 (fax) | www.kxcv.org
© 2014 KXCV-KRNW. All rights reserved.
Public Radio Service of Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville.
