Rice Pesticide Stewardship Practices
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Education For
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CURES Update - March 2001
CURES New Fundraising Campaign
CURES recently kicked off a new fundraising campaign led by Jasper Hempel of Hempel & Hempel Associates, Sacramento. Jasper, formerly with Western Growers Association, is being assisted by Wendy Lauchland and Jody Brennen in an effort to build recognition and support for CURES activities and projects. Jasper can be reached at 916-421-0488.
The Metam Sodium Task Force Began its Second Year Program
The Metam Sodium Task Force began its second year program with CURES to develop additional stewardship materials for use by growers and applicators in the West. CURES is working with the Task Force to create stewardship booklets on various application techniques along with educational slide shows for training meetings and other materials.
Makhteshim-Agan North America, the registrant for diazinon, is providing funding for CURES to maintain involvement in the Sacramento River Watershed Program (SRWP) and the emerging San Joaquin River TMDL issue. The SRWP OP Focus Group is developing plans for reducing diazinon runoff in the Sacramento River.
CURES Active in the OP Focus Group
CURES is active in the OP Focus Group, which has defined a five-year communications and outreach strategy for reducing diazinon runoff in the Sacramento River. CURES is part of a new group, the Agriculture Implementation Group (AIG), which will provide leadership for communicating this SRWP strategy to diazinon users in the Sacramento River watershed. The AIG is made up of representatives from commodity groups, grower associations and the crop protection industry.
San Joaquin River Pesticide TMDL Meeting Organized
CURES organized the first San Joaquin River ag stakeholder meeting in February in preparation for a pesticide TMDL for that Central Valley watershed. More than 40 representatives from agriculture, irrigation districts and the crop protection industry discussed how to prepare and organize for this Clean Water Act regulation. A second meeting is scheduled for March 19, 2001.
CURES Water Quality Protection Proposals Submitted
CURES water quality protection proposals submitted and up for review: a CALFED Concept Proposal requesting funding for an outreach program aimed at growers and PCAs to promote management practices for reducing pesticide runoff into the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. A similar proposal was submitted to the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) seeking additional funding for the outreach effort in the Central Valley. A third proposal was >submitted for Proposition 13 funding to purchase new technology orchard air blast sprayers. Also, to purchase electronic calibration instruments for sprayer calibration clinics. The goal: improve the application efficiency of the Sacramento Valley orchard sprayer "fleet" and reduce pesticide runoff in the watershed.
Support Continues to Build for CURES Stewardship Programs
Support continues to build for CURES stewardship programs. The following have contributed to CURES' latest fundraising effort: DowAgro Sciences, Syngenta Crop Protection, DuPont, Gowan, and Helena Chemical Company. This funding will help CURES fulfill its mission of creating programs and distributing materials that promote stewardship of crop protection products.
News Short
More than 2000 growers and PCAs in the Sacramento Valley heard Parry Klassen give an SRWP/CURES presentation on the diazinon runoff problem in the watershed between November 2000 and March 2001. SRWP and EPA funded the presentations.
Join the CURES Stewardship Effort
Want to join the CURES stewardship bandwagon and contribute to this worthy effort? Support our programs in either agriculture or urban areas: it’s good for the environment and your company or organization. For more information, contact Len Richardson at 925-687-1662 or lrichardson@farmprogress.com or Parry Klassen at 559-325-9855 or parry@curesworks.org or contact CURES directly.
For information on CURES, contact Parry Klassen: parry@curesworks.org.
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