Dr. Frank HallLPCAT
The Ohio State UniversityWooster, OH 44691
Dr. Frank HallLPCAT
The Ohio State UniversityWooster, OH 44691
“Revealing Environmental Stewarship Opportunities: A Grower Self-Assessment of
Drift Mitigation”
“Revealing Environmental Stewarship Opportunities: A Grower Self-Assessment of
Drift Mitigation”
* North American Pesticide Applicator Certification & Safety Education WorkshopPortland, ME August, 2007
Spray Drift representsEXPOSURE HAZARD
to non-targets
Spray Drift representsEXPOSURE HAZARD
to non-targets Water Humans - urban sprawl and farm workers Environment Endangered species Other crops - herbicides and FQPA risk cup
Water Humans - urban sprawl and farm workers Environment Endangered species Other crops - herbicides and FQPA risk cup
PILOT --- What is it???PILOT --- What is it???
Farmer self-assessment of risks of pesticide
drift - responses via surveys
Ground-truthing exercise to identify what he is
doing --- re - drift mitigation
Intended to be a model system of revealing
grower tactics
Farmer self-assessment of risks of pesticide
drift - responses via surveys
Ground-truthing exercise to identify what he is
doing --- re - drift mitigation
Intended to be a model system of revealing
grower tactics
MethodsMethods
Call for volunteers
48 question coded survey
Individual reports to participants (89)
Local workshops to follow - 2007
State multivariate analysis (200+)
Call for volunteers
48 question coded survey
Individual reports to participants (89)
Local workshops to follow - 2007
State multivariate analysis (200+)
Self-Assessment SurveysSelf-Assessment Surveys
Initial Ohio dataset
Expanded to other states
Use of recertification process
Custom applicators - Growmark
Initial Ohio dataset
Expanded to other states
Use of recertification process
Custom applicators - Growmark
Survey Questions?Survey Questions?
Will they tell us? Bias?
How representative is the data? Value = ?
Do we have enough responses?
OH vs. other states
Is it useful to assess benefits / failures of our
education programs?
Will they tell us? Bias?
How representative is the data? Value = ?
Do we have enough responses?
OH vs. other states
Is it useful to assess benefits / failures of our
education programs?
Key ResultsKey Results
72% have farm maps but do not use them to identify sensitive areas
84% do not have written / posted Plan of Action for drift mitigation
72% have farm maps but do not use them to identify sensitive areas
84% do not have written / posted Plan of Action for drift mitigation
DM Application StrategiesDM Application Strategies
94% calibrated at least once / year
Tactics used: low drift nozzles, adjuvants, lower psi and ground speeds, etc
Boom - average of 5.2 different tactics
AirBlast - average of 6.5 different tactics
94% calibrated at least once / year
Tactics used: low drift nozzles, adjuvants, lower psi and ground speeds, etc
Boom - average of 5.2 different tactics
AirBlast - average of 6.5 different tactics
* Multiple tactics – Yes!
Most view moving foliage plus one other tactic; weather station, few on-board devices, radio, cell phone, etc
Lack standard on-board devices
Most view moving foliage plus one other tactic; weather station, few on-board devices, radio, cell phone, etc
Lack standard on-board devices
Assessment of weather conditionsAssessment of weather conditions
% Tree % Row
Yes 81 48
No 9 36
Yes 32 28
No 68 72
Yes 27 28
No 59 60
36 4Gifts, food, plowing, mowing
On IPM/BMP
Had drift complaints
Communications with neighbors
Extra actions with neighbors
Sensitive area identification
Modify edge practices
Windbreaks / neighbor communications
But little support for conservation set-asides
Sensitive area identification
Modify edge practices
Windbreaks / neighbor communications
But little support for conservation set-asides
Willingness to do more in Drift MitigationWillingness to do more in Drift Mitigation
Barriers to doing more in drift mitigation were:
Barriers to doing more in drift mitigation were:
Costs Time and labor Risks Help available?
Costs Time and labor Risks Help available?
Write-ins on concerns about the future of their farms
Write-ins on concerns about the future of their farms
Costs / profits 30%
Regulations 20%
Urban encroachment 10%
Labor
Resistance
Time
Costs / profits 30%
Regulations 20%
Urban encroachment 10%
Labor
Resistance
Time
Our workshops feature identification of opportunities
Our workshops feature identification of opportunities
Grower ideas on stewardship
Coalition building
Marketing incentives
and
Specific PILOT products
Grower ideas on stewardship
Coalition building
Marketing incentives
and
Specific PILOT products
OH Stewardship WorkshopsOH Stewardship Workshops
Maps + Awareness zones
Stewardship POA - How to start
Neighbor communication policy
Maps + Awareness zones
Stewardship POA - How to start
Neighbor communication policy
Meet them: BBQ / Ice Cream Socials Introduce them to your farm and vision
IPMTraps / ScoutingReduced risk
Drift Mitigation POA
Stewardship Philosophy
* * * SHARE * * *
Meet them: BBQ / Ice Cream Socials Introduce them to your farm and vision
IPMTraps / ScoutingReduced risk
Drift Mitigation POA
Stewardship Philosophy
* * * SHARE * * *
Neighbor Communication PoliciesNeighbor Communication Policies
ToursTours UnsprayedUnsprayed
Key Points from PilotKey Points from Pilot
Incentives and cost-share
POA for awareness zones
Site-specific weather assessments
Willingness Barriers
Neighbor communication
Grower concerns
Incentives and cost-share
POA for awareness zones
Site-specific weather assessments
Willingness Barriers
Neighbor communication
Grower concerns
ConclusionsConclusions
Must make it easy to do what’s right Economic incentives
Insurance Tax credits Market driven
Partnership coalitions Stewardship demonstration leaders
Education Cost-share
Must make it easy to do what’s right Economic incentives
Insurance Tax credits Market driven
Partnership coalitions Stewardship demonstration leaders
Education Cost-share
Reveal grower status Document “opportunities” Assist evaluation of current programs Engage grower leadership Identify educational needs
Know your audience
Reveal grower status Document “opportunities” Assist evaluation of current programs Engage grower leadership Identify educational needs
Know your audience
Can a survey help safety education?Can a survey help safety education?
Wider scope of crop Wider scope of crop protection action for protection action for
each site on farmeach site on farm
SPRAY DRIFT MITIGATION IN RELATION TO OTHER PROGRAMS
SPRAY DRIFT MITIGATION IN RELATION TO OTHER PROGRAMS
POLICIESPOLICIES PROGRAMPROGRAM ACTIVITIESACTIVITIES
FARMFARMManagementManagement
EnvironmentalEnvironmentalResourceResourcePlanningPlanning
Total farm actions for Total farm actions for long-range economic long-range economic
and environmentaland environmentalplanning/strategyplanning/strategy
evolutionevolution
Long-rangeLong-rangePlanningPlanning
IPM ICMIPM ICMPesticidePesticideSelection and Selection and
ReductionReduction
Drift MitigationDrift MitigationPILOTPILOT
Specific actionsSpecific actionsHigh risk sitesHigh risk sites
GrowerGrowerEmpowermentEmpowerment
““Farmers should not only produce Farmers should not only produce food but also landscapes”food but also landscapes”
Franz Fischler, (EC Commissioner for Agriculture 1999-2004)
Future Actions?Future Actions?
More than drift
Stewardship
KISS = a beginning
Incentives Attention
More than drift
Stewardship
KISS = a beginning
Incentives Attention
Help Momentum
Demos Key to
engaging leaders Partners Multi-state
coalitions
Help Momentum
Demos Key to
engaging leaders Partners Multi-state
coalitions
“Grower Empowerment”
Constraints to Adoption of ChangeConstraints to Adoption of Change
Federal program without flexibility Language: scientist vs. farmer Measures of success Identification of goals Risk aversion Perception of costs - Must see a benefit!!
Federal program without flexibility Language: scientist vs. farmer Measures of success Identification of goals Risk aversion Perception of costs - Must see a benefit!!
Lessons Learned from “complex” programs and new technologies
Lessons Learned from “complex” programs and new technologies
Must ID costs and benefits Know user behavior and rationale Clarity in approach to change Build flexibility Know linkage opportunities Multi-disciplinary approaches filled with
bureaucracy and time
Must ID costs and benefits Know user behavior and rationale Clarity in approach to change Build flexibility Know linkage opportunities Multi-disciplinary approaches filled with
bureaucracy and time
Environmental HealthEnvironmental Health
Just as with IPM - - -
Take advantage of current trendsFood safety - E. coli
Track food supply sources
SYSCO Now require environ. stewardship actions
Wal-mart -- To follow ?
Others ?
Just as with IPM - - -
Take advantage of current trendsFood safety - E. coli
Track food supply sources
SYSCO Now require environ. stewardship actions
Wal-mart -- To follow ?
Others ?
Food Security Environmental StewardshipFood Security Environmental Stewardship
Local
Fresh
Family Farm
Local
Fresh
Family Farm
Are you taking advantage?