Quality recordkeeping necessary for pesticide applications

The weather keeps teasing us, the groundhog said six more weeks, clocks have "sprung forward" and the calendar says spring is here. The flurry of spring agricultural activity has begun.

Application of pesticides --- herbicides, fungicides or insecticides, will soon be at hand.

It is good to review the U.S. Department of Agriculture requirements for pesticide recordkeeping. The requirements apply only to restricted-use pesticides (RUP), but it is a good idea to keep quality records for all pesticide applications.

The Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade (FACT) Act of 1990 (1990 Farm Bill), states that private applicators must record the use of any RUPs they apply. Application records must be kept for two years from the date of application. Certified private pesticide applicators should retain these records and must be able to make them accessible for copying by authorized regulatory and medical representatives.

There is no set method for recording the use of RUPs.

Applicators can develop their own methods, which may be handwritten or computer-generated records; but there are requirements as to what must be recorded. For each field application the records must include: brand/product name, EPA registration number, total amount applied, crop/commodity/site/stored product, field location, area treated, application date, name of certified applicator and certification number.

"The Record Keeping Manual for Private Pesticide Applicators" is available at the Bourbon County Extension Offices in three different sizes for your convenience.

Recordkeeping is important for all aspects of farming and ranching -- from tax purposes to cattle breeding records to planting records and everything in between. Your method of record keeping maybe a simple as a pocket calendar where information is written down or a complex spreadsheet kept on your computer. There are many resources out there to help you.

The only way to know if you are making progress is to keep records to help with management, financial and selection decision in future years.

Editor's Note: Delta George is a K-State Research and Extension agriculture and 4-H extension agent assigned to Bourbon County. She may be reached at (620) 223-3720.