WCN April 2019

Continued from Page 66
It is especially important to have an
understanding of sensitive areas that
may be surrounding your property;
such as residential communities or
surface water areas. Having a positive
and open relationship with your
neighbors also plays a key role in notifications
and timing of sprays.
NOI Program
In 2008, the Kern County Agriculture
Commission developed a pilot Notice of
Intent program. They received specialty
project funds from the state and developed
a program for a small area of the
county south of Highway 58 and east of
Highway 99.
Kern County Agriculture
Commissioner Glenn Fankhauser,
described the role of the program
as a “48-hour notice of intent for all
restricted material applications. When
a grower files a notice of intent with the
county, a site map is generated of the
location. The county will issue an alert
to neighbors within a quarter of a mile
of the application site. The grower doing
the application receives all contact
information for neighboring growers
and each neighboring grower receives
contact information for the grower
making the application.”
The program has now been expanded
to the entire county of Kern and is no
longer a pilot program. Fankhauser
reiterated the role of the program is “for
them to contact each other and communicate
potential problems and/or to
put off certain activities until after the
application has occurred.”
Exclusion Zone
Another important factor to spraying
is the use of equipment being used.
Certain sprayers have different exclusion
zones to protect any surrounding
public that may come into contact with
the equipment. This exclusion zone is
where the applicator must keep free
of any untrained people who are not
part of the application and suspend the
application if it is violated. Field labor,
people on public roadways and anyone
who isn’t supposed to interact with
the equipment all must be outside of
this zone.
In some instances, it is more effective
and efficient to use aerial application
methods. Aerial application is an
important tool that employees need
to be familiar with. It is significant
not just when they are involved in the
application but also when they see it in
surrounding areas. This is another great
example where communication and
relationships with your neighbors are
critical. Always ensure you understand
what is going on around you and with
your neighbors.
When handling pesticides, safety
should always be at the forefront of
your mind. It is a sensitive situation that
should not be taken lightly. Growers
should maintain proper training
courses that are timely and on schedule
and ensure that you are staying up to
date on rules and regulations. California
may have specific rules for what you
are applying, so it is always better to be
over prepared and yield on the side of
caution. Growers who maintain active
communication with their neighbors
will be more aware of issues that could
impact their fields or employees. There
are multiple resources for workshops,
seminars and educational opportunities
to stay fluent. Education and safety are
key to success.
Comments about this article? We want
to hear from you. Feel free to email us at
article@jcsmarketinginc.com
Spraying almonds. Photo courtesy of Jenny Holtermann.
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West Coast Nut April 2019