CLEAR LAKE – Mark Johnson , an Iowa State University Extension agronomist, told commercial pesticide sprayers on Dec. 13 that they must consult Iowa’s Sensitive Crop Directory before spraying commercial crops.

Applicators will be liable, whether by direct contact or drift, for damages and can be fined or possibly lose their pesticide certification, Johnson said.

Johnson was part of the morning session of the Clear Lake corn and soybean clinic covering subjects – the handling of treated seed plus spraying, planting, and mowing in right-of-ways – for those wanting to keep their certification as a pesticide applicator.

Much of Johnson’s presentation concerned Iowa’s Sensitive Crop Directory designed to alert pesticide applicators the locations of fruit and vegetable plots, bee colonies, orchards, organic fields and vineyards.

The Sensitive Crop Directory can be viewed from the Sensitive Crop page on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship website at www.agriculture.state.ia.us.

The site starts with a county by county listing. Next is a choice by individual crop or all crops for that county.

The data for that county and its sensitive crops will include township, legal description, type of crop, owner with a phone number and e-mail address.

The results can be viewed as spreadsheet, web page, or PDF file.