IOWA STATE UNIVERSITYUniversity Extension

Organic Agriculture and Pesticide Drift

Michael L. White andKathleen Delate

Modified by Georgia Agriculture Education Curriculum Office

June 2002

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITYUniversity Extension

What is organic agriculture?

“Organic agriculture uses naturally occurring amendments for fertilization and pest control. Fields must be free from synthetic fertilizers and pesticides for a minimum of 3 years. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) are not allowed. Animals grown organically feed on organic grains and pasture. Synthetic hormones or antibiotics are restricted. The foods are processed, packaged and distributed without the use of synthetic pesticides, artificial preservatives or irradiation.”

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITYUniversity Extension

Organic history

•Most food and fiber prior to 1940 was organic

•Organic crop production is now a $4.2 billion industry in the U.S.

•1989-1996 saw a 20% annual growth rate in the U.S.

•Certified organic acres in Iowa- 1996 - 21,733- 1997 - 62,000- 1998 - 100,000 +

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITYUniversity Extension

Organic agriculture laws

•U.S. Organic Food Production Act of 1990- Rules out by 2000?

•Iowa Food Production Act of 1988 - Code of Iowa Chapter 190C- Law rewritten in 1998 to establish state certification requirements

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Certification

•Crops must be certified organic by 1 of 6 organic agencies in Iowa

•Cropping records for a minimum of 3 yrs, preferably 5 yrs.

•Field or farm organic for past 3 years

•Organic farm plan•Use a crop rotation 3 out of 4 years

•Audit trail of production, input, harvest, storage, sales and transportation

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITYUniversity Extension

Pesticide drift

•Against the law

•Accidental pesticide drift can result in loss of a high value crop for 3 years

•Pesticide residue analysis is expensive

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITYUniversity Extension

Droplet size vs. drift distance

Droplet Diameter* Time to fall Travel dist.

fog 5 66 minutes 3 miles

very fine 20 4.2 minutes 1,100 feet

fine 100 10 seconds 44 feet

medium 240 6 seconds 28 feet

coarse 400 2 seconds 8.5 feet

fine rain 1,000 1 second 4.7 feet*Dv0.5, m

Source: Herbicide Spray Drift, NDSU Extension

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITYUniversity Extension

IDALS drift case examples

•Command® drift on organic garden in 1997 resulted in $755 civil penalty and unknown damage claim to organic producer.

•Custom applicator accidentally sprayed outside 2 rounds of a 49 acre organic oats field in spring of 1998. Case has not been resolved.

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITYUniversity Extension

Drift precautions

•25 to 30 foot buffer strip required but wider is recommended

•Post “CERTIFIED ORGANIC” signs

•Know your neighbors•Read the label

•Know wind direction and speed

•Use nozzles producing larger droplets

•Avoid volatile herbicides- 2,4-D- clopyralid (Stinger®)- dicamba (Banvel®,

Clarity®)

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Other options

•Drift retardants•Cultivation instead of postemerge spraying

•Pesticide-free crop rows adjacent to organic buffer areas

•Pesticide-free forage crops next to organic crops

•Enroll buffer areas into CRP, wetland reserve or forestry reserve

•Other ideas?

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITYUniversity Extension

Report drift complaints to:

Chuck EckermannChief, Pesticide BureauIowa Dept. of Ag & Land StewardshipHenry A. Wallace BuildingDes Moines, IA 50319(515) 281-8591

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITYUniversity Extension

Organic information

Maury C. WillsIDALS - Organic Food Production and Certification

(515) 281-5783maury.wills@idals.state.ia.us

Kathleen DelateIowa State UniversityOrganic Crops Specialist

(515) 294-7069x1delate@exnet.iastate.edu