Voluntary Registration Open on Website
Contact: Jane Larson, 608-224-5005
Ashley Huibregtse, 608-224-5002
MADISON – The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is inviting growers and pesticide applicators to participate in Driftwatch, a voluntary online registry to help protect sensitive crops from pesticide drift. Pesticide drift occurs when air currents cause pesticide to be deposited outside a target application site.
“The goal of this site is to encourage pesticide applicators and specialty crop growers to communicate more effectively to protect pesticide-sensitive areas,” said Perry Brown, Director of DATCP’s Agricultural Business & Sector Development Bureau.
Growers and applicators should register online at http://wisconsin.agriculture.purdue.edu/. Registration is completely voluntary. The registry is maintained by the Indiana State Chemist office at Purdue University.
Sensitive crops include, but are not limited to: organic crops, grapes, fruits, cranberries, hops, fresh market vegetables, honey bees, mint, herbs, and plant nurseries. Location of wind turbines, atrazine prohibition areas, and outstanding and exceptional resource waters will also be identified on the website.
Driftwatch is not intended for homeowners or sites less than half an acre. Registration of sensitive crop areas will be verified by DATCP prior to them being posted on the website.
“We encourage commercial and private pesticide applicators to visit the website and check for nearby sensitive crop locations. By using Driftwatch, pesticide applicators can make informed product decisions and take other preventative and precautionary measures to control pesticide drift,” added Lori Bowman, Director of DATCP’s Agrichemical Management Bureau. “By registering, applicators can plan to avoid sensitive areas by checking the easy-to-use Google Map™ interface before they spray or reading the automatic e-mail notification updates in their zone of interest.”
Bowman emphasized that pesticide drift is a violation of Wisconsin’s pesticide law and that Driftwatch is an additional tool available to applicators to protect surrounding sensitive crops.
For more information or for assistance registering your site, contact Dennis Egre, Wisconsin’s Driftwatch steward, at 608-224-5109 or dennisc.egre@wisconsin.gov.
