Pesticide-Spraying Airplanes in My Neighborhood

[yellowwood]

I have been carefully picking the Japanese beetles off my flowers rather than to spray insecticide in a broad swath. I am worried about the little bees and other beneficial insects.

I didn't need to be so careful. As I write, an insecticide-spraying plane is spraying insecticide on a cornfield about 100 feet from my property.

What does it cost to spray a cornfield? How much fuel does an airplane like this use? Isn't insecticide made from oil? What proof is there that this insecticide can be used so near to human population? Do these planes have to follow any rules?

Undoubtedly, this corn will go to biofuel-processing. What is the actual oil saving on this product which requires so much oil to grow: planting, fertilizer, herbicide, normally-applied pesticide, and now airplane spraying?

[Muttocracy]

1. a few quick responses

It's terrible that you weren't notified in advance.

Not all insecticides, or pesticides in general, are made from petroleum, but many are.

As far as proof of safety, that's in the hands of the EPA regulatory process. Can you find out what products are being used? If you can find out the common name or active ingredient I can dig up more info for you.

If you're willing to share what state you're in by posting or sending me a personal message, I can also refer you to some local or regional people who might be able to advise you.

[yellowwood]

2. Illinois

I am "farmer-friendly." I totally understand that farmers need to protect their crops.
That doesn't mean that I believe that they should use methods that are harmful to humans and beneficial insects.
I also believe that this corn-based ethanol mania has created an artificial situation that has little to do with "saving oil." It has created food shortages and has added its little measure to the harm done to the Earth and has pumped lots of money into corporate seed suppliers.

[Muttocracy]

15. couple of sets of contact, maybe one can answer questions

You may not get the answer you want, but if you have specific questions, maybe try someone at one of these groups

http://www.ipmcenters.org/contacts/PSEPDirectory.cfm

http://www.pesticidesafety.uiuc.edu/about/about.htm

http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/state/findoffice.html

http://www.agr.state.il.us/Environment/Pesticide/pestuses.html

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. ...

"What does it cost to spray a cornfield?"

Presumably, less than the cost of damaged caused by pests which eat corn.

"How much fuel does an airplane like this use?"

Presumably, less than the amount of fuel used by tractor to replant corn destroyed by pests.

"Isn't insecticide made from oil?"

Usually. Some types of "insecticides" can be produced by natural organisms.

"What proof is there that this insecticide can be used so near to human population?"

Which insecticide is it? Find out and you can easily research all you'd want to know on-line.

"Do these planes have to follow any rules?"

Certainly. Volumes and volumes of rules.

"Undoubtedly, this corn will go to biofuel-processing."

How do you know? Simply given that it's "corn," I'd think the most likely assumption is that it's feed corn for livestock.

[roody]

13. Feed corn for livestock does not feed us either.

It feeds a few.

[bdab1973]

4. Crop Dusters have rules

Look up Federal Aviation Regulations Part 137 (part of the CFRs), which is agricultural operations.

Crop dusting has been going on for many years. If it wasted more fuel and destroyed more crops than it helped, then it wouldn't be economically viable and no one would do it.

[pitohui]

5. well you knew it was zoned agricultural when you moved there

not to sound cold but would i even be able to afford to eat if the farmer had to pay someone to hand pick every freakin' japanese beetle off the corn? somehow i doubt it

i tire of folks who move to the country and then object that there is agricultural going on, seems like they should have known this before they made the move

[yellowwood]

6. Please Don't Misunderstand

You're so right. We've lived here a long time, and we and the farmers always co-existed nicely. If you read my original post, you would see that it is the airplane spraying that I object to.
The planes drops its poison from quite a long way up, and the spray covers a much wider area, much less able to be controlled.
It is only in the last couple of years, since the corn-ethanol phenomenon, that this is happening.

[pitohui]

11. no, crop dusters have been spraying the fields by air for decades

it's just like the guy who woke up one day and suddenly realized that there were, gasps, chickens living in his neighborhood, and there oughta be a law

i guarantee you that the planes have been spraying a long time, you just never noticed before

it happens to all of us, i lived in one neighborhood for over 2 years before i noticed that i walked right by a fire station every day, now how do you miss an entire fire station complete with fire engines, it isn't like they're quiet or anything


the human mind plays tricks

[roody]

14. Who can afford to eat the beef this corn will be used

to feed? Who would want to for their health's sake? Is this farm receiving subsidies? Is it making money?

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

7. ROFLMAO!!!!!!!

:rofl:

[exothermic]

8. I never figured out how to tell if a beetle is Japanese...all the ones around here have round eyes.

:D

[MISSDem]

9. It is an ongoing fight. They are infringing on other

folks right to not have pesticide sprayed on their property. Similar to the mosquito spraying that municipalities do where they have someone drive up and down each street belching out poison from their truck. I just called my supervisor to tell him that I want the "sprayer man" told to cease and desist when he drives by my property. He said he would. It is documented that the mosquito spraying does practically no good but they do it anyway because they get federal funding.

[exothermic]

10. What is this documentation that says spraying does no good. I don't believe that,

it does a HELL of a lot of good around here.

[pitohui]

12. mosquito planes do a helluva lot of good around here too

people who don't grok that are invited to visit some area where there is no mosquito control board, my favorite example, rural alaska in the summer time

[TorchTheWitch]

16. Send them to my neighborhood!

I wish they'd break out the mosquito planes around here. The little evil blood suckers hover outside the door and the moment you open it they attack. I must have 30 itchy welts on just my legs alone. Ugh. Wretched creatures.

[uppityperson]

17. where is it documented that the mosquito spraying does practically no good but they do it anyway...?

where is it documented that the mosquito spraying does practically no good but they do it anyway because they get federal funding?

My parents were soooooooooooooo mean back in the 60's. They wouldn't let us follow the fogging truck on our bikes when the other kids got to go play in the fog for blocks. Mean parents (that part is sarcasm).

I would like to see proof or documentation of your assertion though.

[cobalt1999]

19. LOL.

We did that "riding behind the truck" thing all the time.

Sort of cringe now thinking about it though!

[cobalt1999]

18. Where the hell is it documented mosquito spraying does no good?

I've lived in the South since the 1960's, I notice a sharp drop off of mosquitoes after the truck goes through.

Where is this documentation? I'd love to read it.