North Dakota Pesticide Quarterly April 1996 Volume 14, No. 2 Coordinator's Comments The 1996 season looks like it may be one of the most intense seasons that we have ever had. Pests present greater potential risks to crops than I have ever experienced. The orange wheat blossom midge outbreak could cause massive devastation to our wheat crop. The new strain of late blight could destroy our potato crop. Resistant cercospora threatens the sugarbeet crop. Everywhere there will probably be weeds, weeds, weeds. The benefits of pesticides will be clearly demonstrated in 1996. The intensity of the season will require each and every pesticide applicator, dealer, and crop consultant to be as sharp and careful as possible. The risks of pesticide use will be with us, and our neighbors will be watching with concern. Are you ready for this season? You need to be. Pesticide applicators simply cannot afford to have accidents or incidents this year. Pesticide injuries, illnesses, spray drift, bird, fish, or wildlife kills simply must not occur this season. This year the pesticide applicators of North Dakota will prove themselves, one way or another. Either you will show that you can protect our North Dakota crop from pests in a manner that shows your concern for safety and environmental protection, or you will provide plenty of ammunition for antipesticide activist groups. The choice is yours. Container Collection Ostlund Chemical Company, West Chem Agricultural Chemicals Inc. and Cenex/Land O' Lakes will be conducting collection and recycling programs for properly rinsed plastic pesticide containers at many sites in North Dakota in 1996. The collection locations and times will be announced soon. It is illegal for commercial applicators to burn plastic pesticide containers. Please plan to participate in this year's recycling program. If you would like to conduct a collection please call Ostlund, West Chem, or Cenex/Land O' Lakes. Project Safe Send Project Safe Send will be conducted at 11 or more sites in July. It is important that as much banned, waste, or unusable pesticide is collected in the 1996 program as possible, because the funding that is presently available is sufficient to pay for the hazardous waste disposal costs of all pesticides brought into the 1996 program. There is a possibility that the program may be significantly reduced in the next legislative session. The deadline for preregistration for Project Safe Send is May 1. If you have or know of someone who has banned, waste, or unusable pesticides please get them preregistered. Forms are available from NDSU Extension Service County offices or from the North Dakota Department of Agriculture. If you have any questions please contact Judy Carlson, at the North Dakota Department of Agriculture at (800) 242-7535. North Dakota Crop and Pest Report A subscription form for the North Dakota Crop and Pest Report is included in this issue. The North Dakota Crop and Pest Report is a timely source of information on pest situations, product registrations, etc. I highly recommend it to you. Worker Protection Standard EPA is holding meetings and accepting written comments about the worker protection standard. None of the meetings are close to North Dakota, but this is the time to let EPA know how the worker protection standard is working (or not working) for you. See article in the Law section. All crop protection pesticide products should have worker protection labeling attached in order to be legally sold. The worker training requirements have also changed. See article in the Law section. Forms Available Copies of forms such as Dealer sales record forms, Commercial application records forms, and other forms are available from the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, or from the NDSU Pesticide Programs Office. Contact your ND Pesticide inspector, the Department of Agriculture (800) 242-7535, or the NDSU Pesticide Programs office at (701) 231-7180. NDSU Research Extension Center Field Days A good way to stay current on the latest crop varieties, production practices, and weed, insect, and disease problems and management strategies is to attend the NDSU Research Extension Centers field days. The NDSU Research Extension Centers scheduled field days are listed just following the table of contents. Did you forget to get recertified? Are you one of the 514 persons who had their commercial certification expire on April 1, 1996? CHECK YOUR CARD NOW! If the number in the box for the categories that you are certified in is 96, your certification expired April 1, 1996. Contact our office immediately at (701) 231-7180! If you have not returned your recertification exam DO SO NOW! You are no longer certified and any restricted use purchases, sales, or applications you make after April 1, 1996 are illegal. Greg Dahl Pesticide Programs Specialist