Winter 2001
In This Issue
Full speed ahead for Oregon's top agricultural industry
Board of ag profile: Bernie Faber
Director's column: A look ahead to Oregon agriculture 2002
ODA now accepting applications for $3.2 million specialty crop grant funding program
Oregon farmers urged to plan now for new tax law
New pesticide use reporting law ready for implementation
Oregon shows slightly higher net farm income
2000-2001 Oregon Agriculture & Fisheries Statistics released
CREP: helping farmers help the environment
Sudden oak death eradication efforts underway
New pesticide use reporting law ready for implementation
System development still underway
With administrative rules finalized in early December, Oregon's Pesticide Use Reporting Law is set for implementation January 2, 2002. However, funding issues have kept the Oregon Department of Agriculture from fully developing the electronic system that will be used to capture, store, analyze, and report all required pesticide use information. The law has not gone away and neither has the system. ODA is developing a limited system best described as "an electronic filing cabinet." Those who wish to report pesticide use as early as January 2002 will be able to do so, but the basic system to be in place will simply capture and hold that information. Any further development of the comprehensive system will be dependent upon future funding. Also, while pesticide users may want to report as early as January, they don't need to report their 2002 use until no later than January 31, 2003. Pesticide users should keep a record of their use even if they don't plan on reporting until later in the year.
Here is a quick glance at the highlights of the administrative rules adopted for the Pesticide Use Reporting System:
- "Pesticide user" means any person who uses or applies a pesticide in the course of business or any other for-profit enterprise, or for a governmental entity, or in a location that is intended for public use or access.
- All pesticide products used by each pesticide user shall be reported at least once yearly to ODA. All pesticide use in a given calendar year shall be reported no later than January 31 of the following calendar year. Pesticide use may be reported on a more frequent basis if so desired.
- Among the information to be reported: Identification of the pesticide user; name of the specific pesticide product used; date of use; amount used; description of the type of site where the pesticide was used (i.e., agriculture, forestry, right-of-way, research); purpose of pesticide use; and, location of pesticide use.
- For uses made to agricultural sites, the location of application is to be reported by township, range, and section. If the use site encompasses more than one section, then the section in which the majority of the use occurred is to be reported.
- For uses made to urban or general type sites that are not publicly owned, the location is to be reported by zip code.
- For uses made for or by a public or government body on public property (including schools and parks), the location is to be reported by address.
- Certain pesticide use information regarding applications on private property can only be released to a federal, state or local agency; or, a health or environmental researcher, acting in an official capacity from an accredited university or accepted research institute. Those parties must agree to maintain confidentiality of the information. Failure to do so is subject to a civil penalty up to $10,000.
- A statistically valid survey will identify the use of pesticides by households. That survey is to include the entire state within five years.
The administrative rules go into far greater detail. Those interested should visit ODA's website at http://purs.oda.state.or.us
That will be the same site address used to electronically report pesticide use once the system is online and active. Users are advised to check the site periodically for updated news and instructions.