AMES, Iowa -- Iowa crop producers, agribusiness interests and apiarists have until Jan. 7 to comment on proposed changes to commercial pesticide application recordkeeping and the Iowa Bee Rule. 

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has published the proposed changes in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin.  The proposed rule changes can be accessed online in the Dec. 17 edition of the bulletin, starting on page 1,420 (page 12 of the 62-page pdf file) at http://www.legis.state.ia.us/aspx/ACODOCS/DOCS/12-17-2008.Bulletin.pdf.

According to Betsy Buffington, an Iowa State University Extension program specialist in the Department of Entomology, one proposed change relates to the application of pesticides near bees. Commercial pesticide applicators spraying pesticides labeled as “toxic to bees” within one mile of a registered apiary would not be able to spray between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily. Also, owners of apiaries will need to register the location of their apiaries with the state apiarist.

Another proposed change would apply to all commercial pesticide applications. Commercial pesticide applicators will need to keep records of the time all pesticide applications begin and end, Buffington said.

A public hearing will be held on Jan. 7, 2009, at 2 p.m. in the Second Floor Conference Room, Wallace State Office Building, Des Moines, Iowa 50319.

Any interested party may make written comments or suggestions on the proposed amendments until 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 7, 2009. Written comments should be sent to Margaret Thomson, Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Wallace State Office Building, 502 East Ninth Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319; or faxed to (515) 281-6236. E-mail comments may be sent to Margaret.Thomson@IowaAgriculture.gov.

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