By Kara McMurray
Gazette Reporter 

State is proposing herbicide rule changes

 


Changes are being made to rules for the restricted use of herbicides, and the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is currently seeking public comments on the proposed changes.

Drew Lyon, endowed chair in small grains extension and research, weed science crop and soil sciences at Washington State University, said the changes are mostly about updating language and making clarifications.

“Most of the changes are correcting redundancies. Some of them have to do with rules written over 50 years ago when nozzle technology was very different,” said Lyon. “We tried to clean it up, too. Every county in eastern Washington had a different set of rules for restricted rules on spraying herbicides. We tried to make the rules more uniform throughout.”

There are 10 changes in total. The first deals with amending nozzle and pressure to reflect current standards that applications must be made by creating a droplet spectrum size that is in conformance with American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers standards. The second change repeals the 85 degree Fahrenheit cut-off requirement in individual county rules, and the third change repeals maximum wind speed restrictions in individual county rules and adds a maximum 15 mph wind speed restriction.

All other rules are also repeals and include repeals to such things as limiting the addition of oil carriers and adjuvants to one pint per acre; prohibiting use of oil type carriers for brush control during certain times of the year; prohibiting mixing, loading and equipment decontamination in a manner that causes damage to susceptible crops, and prohibiting rules on turning or flying low over cities, town, residences and other sensitive sites.

For more details on the changes and to see the full list of changes, go to http://smallgrains.wsu.edu/proposed-rule-changes-for-restricted-use-herbicides/.

Lyon said comments are being taken through the spring and summer. The rule changes will be submitted in the fall.

Comments can be made at the web page or to the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

Questions can be directed to Lyon.

509-335-2961

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 

Our Family of Publications Includes:

Cheney Free Press
Ritzville Adams County Journal
Whitman County Gazette
Odessa Record
Franklin Connection
Davenport Times
Spokane Valley News Herald
Colfax Daily Bulletin

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2024