Legislation - Let's Get This Done
The following is from the Iowa Farmers Union. They are working to get some changes made in Iowa with respect to agricultural chemical applications. We need action on this now. Please take some time and respond.
If you recall our spray incident in 2012, one of the big issues was the delay in learning lab results. We were forced to secure our own lab results form a lab in Oregon to the tune of over $1500 in out of pocket costs. We still received our results form the Pesticide Bureau, but that wasn't until the season was completed. The only use those results had for us was to pursue compensation after the fact.
Please take some time and make a few calls or send a few emails on our behalf.
Rob & Tammy
=====================================
You've been hearing from us about all the activity at the Iowa Statehouse this past week on legislation that is important to you as Farmers Union member and supporter.
Last week we told you about a Senate subcommittee hearing scheduled for this morning on Senate Study Bill (SSB) 1221, which would appropriate funding to IDALS to:
establish on-line reporting for incidents of pesticide drift and
set up a fund to improve turnaround times for lab results when IDALS collects samples following an incident of spray drift.
The first legislative funnel day is this Friday. That means that bills must be passed out of full committee in at least one chamber by March 6 to stay alive.
We have just learned that the FULL Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Environment will be taking up SSB 1221 at their meeting this afternoon at 1PM.
WE NEED YOU TO EMAIL OR CALL THE SENATORS ON THE NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT SSB 1221:
PLEASE CONTACT:
Sen. Dick Dearden (D, Polk County - Chair) dick.dearden@legis.iowa.gov
Sen. Chris Brase (D, Muscatine County - Vice Chair) chris.brase@legis.iowa.gov
Sen. Ken Rozenboom (R, Mahaska County - Ranking Member) ken.rozenboom@legis.iowa.gov
Sen. Jerry Behn (R, Boone County) jerry.behn@legis.iowa.gov
Sen. Joe Bolkcom (D, Johnson County) joe.bolkcom@legis.iowa.gov
Sen. David Johnson (R, Osceola County) david.johnson@legis.iowa.gov
Sen. Kevin Kinney (D, Johnson County) kevin.kinney@legis.iowa.gov
Sen. Janet Petersen (D, Polk County) janet.petersen@legis.iowa.gov
Sen. Amanda Ragan (D, Cerro Gordo County) amanda.ragan@legis.iowa.gov
Sen. Brian Schoenjahn (D, Fayette County) brian.schoenjahn@legis.iowa.gov
Sen. Joe Seng (D, Scott County) joe.seng@legis.iowa.gov
Sen. Tom Shipley (R, Adams County) tom.shipley@legis.iowa.gov
Sen. Dan Zumbach (R, Delaware County dan.zumbach@legis.iowa.gov
Senators also can be reached by phone via the Senate switchboard: (515) 281-3371.
WHY SHOULD SENATORS SUPPORT SSB 1221?
SSB 1221 would allow impacted farmers to more easily and accurately report incidents of pesticide drift to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) Pesticide Bureau via the IDALS website.
The Iowa Pesticide Act currently requires someone claiming damage from an incident of pesticide drift to submit a report in writing to IDALS within 60 days of the incident. With current budget and staff resources, the IDALS Pesticide Bureau is only able to collect incident reports by phone during agency business hours. This reporting process would operate much more efficiently and allow for more timely and accurate reporting if an impacted farmer could directly file an incident report in writing, as provided for by statute, via the IDALS website. A significant number of state jurisdictions already provide for this type of reporting, including Minnesota, South Dakota, Missouri and Illinois.
SSB 1221 would provide much-needed funding to improve the time required for laboratory testing following a reported incident of pesticide drift.
In a typical incident of pesticide drift, an investigator from the IDALS Pesticide Bureau is able to follow up an incident report with an on-site visit in a matter of days. The on-site visit often includes collecting samples for testing to determine whether an incident of drift occurred and which chemicals were involved. Unfortunately, the current time for returning the laboratory results for these tests is in the range of 6 to 8 months. This delay places an enormous burden on an impacted farmer trying to take reasonable precautionary steps - such as segregating or washing crops intended for human consumption - and working to minimize financial losses. Providing IDALS with the resources to significantly shorten the turnaround time for lab results is critical to supporting farmers impacted by pesticide drift.
For more information on this bill, please visit the Pesticide Drift Resource Page on our website.
Thank you for your help!
Jana Linderman
IFU President