Check FieldWatch® Before Pesticide Applications

Elizabeth Danielson & Kristine Schaefer
Pesticide Safety Education Program
Iowa State University
betsydan@iastate.edu & schaefer@iastate.edu

Prepare for a safe pesticide application season by checking the FieldWatch® registry before making pesticide applications. The FieldWatch® registry provides easy-to-use, accurate, and secure online tools to enhance communications and awareness between crop producers, beekeepers, and pesticide applicators.FieldWatch® features a voluntary mapping tool through Google Maps™ that shows pesticide applicators the locations of registered sensitive crops and beehives so they can make informed decisions regarding pesticide applications. Taking the time to review what is near a field prior to applications helps prevent off-target application problems and helps commercial applicators comply with the Iowa Bee Rule.

Pesticide applicators can register with FieldCheck by FieldWatch® to receive automated emails that tell them when a specialty crop field or apiary site has been newly entered in the areas the applicator designates and to locate apiaries not visible to the public. Applicators registered with FieldCheck may add additional sensitive sites (e.g. private gardens, ornamentals) that may be sensitive to chemical drift but don’t meet the criteria to be listed publicly on FieldWatch®. These sites are visible only to the applicator who added them but are useful in preparing for and making pesticide applications.

Producers can register their sensitive crops on the DriftWatch™ Specialty Crop Site Registry and beekeepers can register their hive locations on the BeeCheck™ Apiary Registry.

In addition to the FieldWatch® website, there are two mobile apps that can be used to access and input data. The FieldCheck by FieldWatch® app gives applicators easy access to specialty crop information and beehive locations from their mobile devices. The BeeCheck® app allows beekeepers to easily make changes in the location of their beehives. Both apps are available free of charge for Android and iOS devices.

The FieldWatch® website also includes How-to videos and additional resources for producers, beekeepers, and applicators.