By Clint Thompson
Stanley Culpepper, University of Georgia Extension weed scientist, believes 2025 will be a pivotal year for specialty crop growers attempting to navigate the regulations surrounding pesticide implementation.
It’s what he has highlighted during county grower meetings and what he stressed during the recent Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference.
“Everyone of us in the future, as we go through registration and re-registration, are going to have certain requirements on every product that we apply. Helping you understand how to overcome that by implementing mitigation strategies, understanding the strategies and value of the effectiveness of that strategy is critical,” Culpepper said. “That’s what this year is about; 2025, lets introduce this, lets get our growers aware of what’s going on.”
Mitigation Strategies
Culpepper used the Southeast Regional as a workshop-type setting, walking through mitigation requirements as enacted by the Environmental Protection Agency to guard against runoff and buffers. Mitigation strategies are based on a points system that growers tally before applying a pesticide.
For example, points are given for the use of a drip tape system. Growers who aren’t using overhead irrigation are not causing runoff of a pesticide.
Points are also given for cover crop use. Culpepper said there is data that shows the pesticide will not leave a field in such a system. If a field is deemed less than 3% slope, growers will get credit as well.
The more points a grower accumulates the better they will be in utilizing a pesticide that requires ‘x’ amount of points.
“You will have important products that will need nine points. I want to get every grower to nine points for two reasons. I do not have to worry when that product comes out with a nine. If you get nine points, guess what, you’re doing a phenomenal job in keeping the product on target. That’s what you want, and that’s what I want,” Culpepper said. “I want you to be safe on your farm and in your environment.
“The ultimate picture is good. Put the product on target and keep it there. There’s nobody in our state that won’t agree with that. The big approach is good. Unfortunately, it’s complicated, but you’re dealing with regulatory agencies. It’s something we’ve got to work through. We’re in a place today where it’s so much better than even nine months ago.
“If we work together, we should be able to help our growers overcome this with no burden, other than time. I know time is valuable, but we should be able to overcome this with creativity and knowledge. The ultimate goal is we’re going to improve your ability to put the product on target and keep it there.”
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