Pro-Active Problem Solving

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Pro-Active Problem Solving

• How to Avoid and Handle Plant Injury Problems

By Joanne Kick-Raack, State Coordinator Pesticide
Education Program Ohio State University Extension
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Handling Complaints

• Simplest method to deal with complaints is to
  prevent them
• Evaluate the application site
• Review and adjust for potential problems
• Continuously monitor the application
• Respond quickly and appropriately to concerns

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Pro-Active Problem Solving

• Sprayer maintenance
• Calibration
• Application techniques
• Mix/rinse/fill procedures
• Disposal
• Protective Equipment
• Record keeping
• Communication

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Cleaning Field Sprayers to Avoid Crop Injury
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Why is cleaning field sprayers so important?

• New pesticides are highly active in low amounts
• They can be redissolved with later contact with
  other herbicides, their solvents or spray
  adjuvants

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Examples

• Switching from Round-up on beans to a
  post-emergent application on corn
• Switching from 2,4-D etc. on corn to Round-up on
  beans

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General Sprayer Clean-up Procedures

• Fill for the day and end with an empty tank
• Carry 50-100 gal.of fresh water for rinsing
• Flush the system in the field immediately after
  use and apply to the application site consistent
  with the label
• Dont discharge solution in a small area
• Select a location that is away from water
  supplies, streams
• Do apply so that puddling or run-off cannot occur

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Sprayer Cleanout Between CropsStep 1

• Add ½ tank fresh water and flush tanks, lines,
  booms, nozzles for gt 5 min. using a combination
  of agitation and spraying
• Wear protective equipment
• Rinse inside surfaces of tank be sure to get
  areas around baffles and tank fixtures

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Sprayer Cleanout Between CropsStep 2

• Fill the tank with fresh water and add cleaning
  solution and agitate for 15 minutes.
• Operate booms to ensure all nozzles and boom
  lines are filled with cleaning solution. Let
  solution stand for several hours or overnight.
• Add more water and rinse again. Remove nozzles,
  strainers and clean separately
• Rinse and flush system again

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Cleaning Solutions

• Should be selected based on the herbicide and
  formulation to be cleaned.
• Dilution, solubilization, and deactivation
• Add one of following to each 50 gals. water
• 2 qts. Household ammonia (let stand overnight for
  growth regulator herbicides such as 2,4-D,
  Banvel, Clarity
• 4 lbs. Trisodium phosphate cleaner detergent

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Caution!

• All sprayer components must be cleaned
• Lowest point of the system should have a drain
• If not, remaining solution may be problem

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Minimize Drift

• Drift is the Number Onecomplaint to the Ohio
  Department of Agriculture as the result of
  agricultural spraying.

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Drift/Non-Target Application

• No person shall apply a pesticide
• -to an area or a crop in such a manner or at
  such time that he will contaminate adjacent
  crops, pasture land, other area or water
• -at such time or under such conditions that the
  wind velocity will cause the pesticide to drift
  and cause damage

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Remember

• ODA does issue penalties to farmers
• Civil penalties 200-400
• If take lab samples, costs can range from
  800-2000
• Also, ODA begins looking at other aspects of
  operation when out there
• If damage is gt 500, you are required to report

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Preplan Your Application

• Evaluate application site and adjacent area
• Wells
• Lakes, ponds, streams, ditches, waterways
• Gardens
• Sensitive crops or ornamentals
• Identify neighbors

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Considerations for Problem Sites

• Use of buffer zones or setbacks
• Wind speed, direction
• Temperature and humidity
• Nozzle selection
• Product volatility
• Product potential for damage alternatives
• Drift control agents

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Responding to Complaints

• Respond immediately and in person
• Listen!
• Dont argue
• Provide a list of products applied (labels)
• Agree to follow up ---and do it!
• Document the complaint
• Dont make promises you or insurance wont keep

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Risk Generalizations

• Two key elements of risk perception
• Familiarity
• Control
• Facts do not control risk perception
• The public is not looking for zero risk

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Risk Communication

• The primary objective is to build trust not
  change public opinion about the size of the risk.

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Ohio Requirements for Private Applicator Record
keeping

• Record applications of all restricted use
  pesticides (RUPs)
• Keep records for 3 years
• Record information on the day of application

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Ohio Requirements for Private Applicator Record
keeping

• If renting land, record must be made available to
  landowner within 30 days of the request
• Information must be provided to attending health
  care professionals
• Custom applicator may keep records for you

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Private ApplicatorPesticide Application Records

1. Certified applicator (name, address,
   certification number)
2. Brand name, formulation, EPA registration number
3. Total amount and rate of application
4. Crop treated
5. Target pest

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Private ApplicatorPesticide Application Records

• 7. Month, day, year of application
• 8. Type of application equipment
• 9. Method of application (preemerge etc.)
• 10. Weather conditions air temperature, wind
  speed and direction

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Reasons to Keep Application Records

• Improve management decisionswhat works and what
  doesnt
• Improve crop rotation decisions
• Prevent future pesticide failures
• Provide safeguard in case of claims of drift or
  injury
• Substantiates product guarantee claims

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Reasons to Keep Application Records

• Saves Money
• Helps secure funding by providing environmental
  liability records
• Meets buyer requirements
• Respond to food and water safety questions
• Aids in emergency medical treatment
• Provides data to support pesticide use

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Damage Control

• Proper tank clean-out
• Thoughtful Applications
• Good records
• Good neighbor communications

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Handling Complaints

• Act concerned!!
• Take the time to talk rationally with them
• Dont just say, It will be all right dont worry