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On September 30, 2009 the State Senate Agriculture Committee is holding a hearing at 10 a.m. to discuss issues of pesticide use in Illinois.  Attached is the press release from the Senate Ag Committee. 

This all started when the Peoria Journal Star ran a series of sensational stories about spray drift.  The cases they highlight were exaggerated and in some incidences the cases were closed by the Dept of Ag  with no evidence of drift.  The truth is, the number of drift complaints this year is consistent with the yearly average of between 100-150 complaints.  Over 50% of complaints are dismissed with no evidence of drift and where evidence is found, the incidents are handled by the administrative process outlined in the Illinois Pesticide Act. 

IFCA met with Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) regarding this issue.  We were accompanied by representatives from the IL Dept of Ag, Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Ag Aviation Association.  While we felt the meeting went fairly well, and that the intent of the hearing was to explore the extent of the perceived problem and the regulatory process involved in handling spray drift complaints, the press release delves into other issues associated with human health and water quality.  This will no doubt lead to many people expressing an interest in testifying againt the use of pesticides in general.  IFCA is disappointed with the tone of the press release and we are working with the members of the Senate Ag Committee to assure that the hearing focuses on factual data rather than subjective issues and anti-pesticide sentiments.  But the reality is that it will likely involve a fair share of emotional testimony. 

IFCA and select IFCA members will be providing oral testimony and we will encourage our members to submit thoughtful written comments as well.  Watch for more information from IFCA with pointers for your written comments.  The reporters at the Peoria Journal Star made it clear that they believe pre-notification should be required for applications of pesticides so we predict this may be one of the recommendations made to the Ag Committee members.  To see the members of the Senate Ag Committee, click here http://www.ilga.gov/senate/committees/members.asp?CommitteeID=607

If you are represented by any of these Senators, we encourage you reach out to them regarding the stewardship practices you have in place to control drift, how pre-notification would be a monumental and costly undertaking and is unnecessary since regulations are already in place to deal with pesticide misuse, including drift. 

Watch for more information from the IFCA regarding points to make in your written comments, which need to be submitted prior to September 30.  If you have questions please contact Jean Payne at 309.827.2774 or jeanp@ifca.com 

As newspapers and print media struggle to survive, we are seeing more sensational and targeted stories about agriculture, as evidenced in this month's Time Magazine cover story that blames US agriculture for a multitude of problems in today's society.  Hunger, however, wasn't one of them.