Keeping the Tools in the Toolbox

The Importance of Stewardship in Retaining and Advancing Pesticide Technologies

The growing season is upon us. As farmers begin making applications, reading and following pesticide application labels is a must-do item on the spring to-do list. To ensure that farmers can use these pesticides in the future, they must make sure they are applying and using products as instructed today.

According to Bill Johnson, Ph.D, professor of weed science at Purdue University, there is a simple reason why pesticide label instructions aren’t followed: applicators don’t take the time to read them thoroughly.

While these product labels are not light reading, following them ensures that products are applied in the proper manner to avoid off-target movement. Avoiding that wasted product with proper application methods also gives farmers the most return out of the product—farmers get the most bang for their buck.

Christy Sprague, weed extension specialist with Michigan State University, says the label is also beneficial from a biological standpoint.

“It’s always important to realize the risk of a product. Farmers should always understand what species the product is designed to target, how to avoid crop injury, and know the proper application rate,” Sprague says. “Rate is especially important because we want to avoid crop injury and reduce the development of herbicide-resistant weeds through overapplication.”

Sprague adds that reading labels is a good form of protection and following the instructions is vital.

“The labels are the law —both federal and state,” Sprague says. “Farmers should follow these laws to protect themselves for their own safety and to protect their neighbors.”

Being a strong steward of pesticides through label reading and applying according to the regulations ensure that all of the necessary tools stay in the toolbox for future use.

“It’s important to have more than one tool to get the job done,” Johnson says. “It’s like having a steak knife and a butter knife. You can spread butter with a steak knife and you can cut a steak with a butter knife, but each is better at accomplishing its intended task.”

Take the time to thoroughly read the labels. But simply reading the label isn’t enough. To get the most benefit out of the technology, it’s important to know exactly what the product is designed to do. This also helps safeguard everyone and everything involved in the application process, and that these pesticide technologies remain available for future use.