Each year we hear complaints about pesticide use – usually from a producer unhappy with a product’s performance, or from a person claiming damage due to drift from a neighbor’s pesticide application.
But individuals with complaints should realize they have responsibilities if a complaint is to be settled, said Trent Catley, pesticide inspector with Saskatchewan Agriculture.
“There are two major actions that are critical in the resolution or settlement of a pesticide dispute: accurate record keeping and timely action,” he said.
To properly document a complaint those claiming damages should have a record of several things: cropping practices, pesticides used in previous years and the year of damage, weather on the day of spraying, the spraying procedures and a description of the perceived damage.
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Catley said dated and signed photographs of the damaged area are also valuable.
“If part of a producer’s field is damaged, that part should be staked out and the acreage estimated. The area also should be flagged so yield comparisons can be made in the fall,” said Catley.
Names, addresses and phone numbers of those who were contacted should be recorded with the times and dates. Plant samples may be sent to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s crop protection laboratory for visual evaluation of possible chemical damage.
When a detailed record of events is complete, a formal complaint can be initiated with the pesticide applicator, vendor or manufacturer. Catley said complaints can often be settled at this stage.
Advice available
Agriculture department extension staff can advise producers on the process needed to evaluate and document a complaint.
“Extension staff can determine if the possibility of economic loss due to product performance or drift exist. But it is not the responsibility of extension staff to do a damage assessment or to act as a mediator. They can provide a list of independent consultants who will conduct a damage assessment, however.”
If the complaint is against a commercial pesticide applicator, extension staff will provide a Saskatchewan Agriculture pesticide complaint form, which is sent to the provincial pesticide investigator when completed.
“Any action undertaken by the provincial pesticide investigator stemming from the activity of a commercial applicator is related to enforcement measures under the authority of The Pest Controls Products (Saskatchewan) Act, and will not result in any compensation for damages. Compensation is strictly a civil matter between the complainant and the defendant,” said Catley.
