Share Your 2022 Guerilla Plans, Strains and Tips.

[TychoMonolyth]

You can find a free source of fertilizer in fields every spring.

This is a regular spot. The field naturally graduates towards a creek so anything along it is well fed with rain during veg.

 

[TychoMonolyth]

Corn is awesome to plant in because, as I mentioned, farmers feed the field, and corn fertilizer happens to be fantastic for weed.

However, there are a few drawbacks to planting in corn. Is the corn destined for feed/silage or is it a cash crop. If it's for feed or silage, it'll probably be cut early for more nutritional value for the cattle. So I highly recommend planting Autos in corn because they finish quick and before the farmer takes the crop (and your weed). If it's a cash crop (they sell the corn) then it stays on the field until very late (it's all dried and yellow).

Still, I've rolled the dice with photos in corn not knowing if it'll make it to finish. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. lol

In every case, I always plant in errors. They are usually places where the planter messed up a bit. This is a great example of bad sowing equipment, but a fantastic place to plant weed. It also makes it difficult to spot your crop from the air.

I definitely wouldn't plant like this (but I have lol.)

 

[troutman]

I can't wait to see once the snow melts the forest pool I made last year with a 45 mil EPDM pond liner
to see if it's full of water. It would be great if the snow and rains have filled it up by May so I don't need
to haul any water during July at least.

 

[TychoMonolyth]

smart.

 

[@peace]

Corn is awesome to plant in because, as I mentioned, farmers feed the field, and corn fertilizer happens to be fantastic for weed.

However, there are a few drawbacks to planting in corn. Is the corn destined for feed/silage or is it a cash crop. If it's for feed or silage, it'll probably be cut early for more nutritional value for the cattle. So I highly recommend planting Autos in corn because they finish quick and before the farmer takes the crop (and your weed). If it's a cash crop (they sell the corn) then it stays on the field until very late (it's all dried and yellow).

Still, I've rolled the dice with photos in corn not knowing if it'll make it to finish. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. lol

In every case, I always plant in errors. They are usually places where the planter messed up a bit. This is a great example of bad sowing equipment, but a fantastic place to plant weed. It also makes it difficult to spot your crop from the air.


I definitely wouldn't plant like this (but I have lol.)

Is there any concern from people who grow in corn that the farmer might spray fungicide and or insecticide once or twice a growing season?

 

[gumzgi]

from what ive heard the farmers spray the corn only one time with the glyphos , i dont think they will spray wit anything else.
some time ago i had some plants in a cornfield and i was so lucky that i go visit the field that day becouse the farmer already croped a big part of the corn and he was still on the field harvestin the corn with the tractor but he didnt harvested the lane where i had the plantz .. i was able to harvest them all and i left them outsite hanged them in a tree till next day couse i didnt have bag on me : )

 

[gumzgi]

the ideea its to plant in a big cornfield , small fields can be controlled easly by farmer and can happen alot of things

 

[@peace]

Sorry I should have written that differently, but I was high. I farm, as has my family for many generations, in Canada. Corn and soy. I have always wondered whether the guys that grow in our fields really understand what risk they are taking. We have had guys do the large checkerboard like above. They are likely mainly selling it and don't know the risks, or don't care.

gumzgi. You are correct, in North America many farmers make a pass in crop with glyphosate. In northern climates, farmers will tend to use liquid nitrogen to feed the corn, sprayed down with residual chemistry before the corn emerges. Then they will come back in crop (corn out of the ground) with a glyphosate pass to clean up perennials and whatever else escapes the residual and/ or first pass. These activities are done up to the 6 leaf stage of corn maximum, usually the goal is to have this completed by the third leaf stage, but sometimes weather doesn't allow that.

For later passes it depends on where you are in the world. There is a large push to apply more of the nitrogen that the corn needs closer to tassel, effectively allows for less nitrogen to be used when growing. With larger sprayers guys can use y-drops or a front side dress tool bar. These will get used to apply nitrogen and sometimes a bit of other fertilizer between waist high corn and when the tassel is emerging. Its just N and is dribbled or knifed into the ground. Other guys may just use a side dress unit behind a tractor and that will get done before waist high corn because tractors have less clearance than large sprayers. Neither of these scenarios are a product concern for cannabis, but they are a huge security risk for the guerilla, since the farmer is going to be in the field.

Then, and much more so in the US than Canada or Europe, guys will spray fungicide and insecticides in the same pass. In the US they can also use plant growth regulators/ hormones. They mainly aren't allowed in Canada, not likely Europe either, but can't guarantee that. This is the stuff that I worry people are unaware of. Newer insecticides are much less toxic to people than the older class of chemistries, however they are still something I would never want to smoke. High yield corn growers who are fine tuning every aspect of their production will put a fungicide and hormone (if in US) pass down around 9 leaf corn. Then they will come back at tassel with a different or higher rate of fungicide, and sometimes they are using insecticide as well. The US is a much better environment for cutworm outbreaks, so they tend to spray more often there.

I've rambled on too much, but just be careful with your product out there. A grass waterway in a field would have less spray risk, as they don't spray those because they want to keep the grass (usually). Corn guerillas are how I got into growing so this isn't to knock them, I have a debt to them. I found a bunch of seeds in the lower buds that they left years ago, and that was my start into growing. Just something to watch out for. Stay safe everyone.

 

[TychoMonolyth]

Is there any concern from people who grow in corn that the farmer might spray fungicide and or insecticide once or twice a growing season?

Absolutely. Farmer's only spray once. Spraying a field is expensive so timing is important for the farmer (and you).
It's easy to see when they've sprayed. Just look for dying weeds. That's the yellow stuff in the picture below.

Farmers typically spray about 3 weeks after planting. In the picture above, that dead spot should be a good location to plant a couple plants. Once you see this, it's pretty safe to plant.

I also put a plant right up close to Hydro/Telephone poles when they're in fields like the one above. Seeders always go around the pole so it's a good spot to clear a few corn plants.




(Fertilizing a 100 acre field can cost 35k or more depending on what it needs. They can make more than up for it in yield so it makes sense.)

 

[TychoMonolyth]

Sorry I should have written that differently, but I was high. I farm, as has my family for many generations, in Canada. Corn and soy. I have always wondered whether the guys that grow in our fields really understand what risk they are taking. We have had guys do the large checkerboard like above. They are likely mainly selling it and don't know the risks, or don't care.

gumzgi. You are correct, in North America many farmers make a pass in crop with glyphosate. In northern climates, farmers will tend to use liquid nitrogen to feed the corn, sprayed down with residual chemistry before the corn emerges. Then they will come back in crop (corn out of the ground) with a glyphosate pass to clean up perennials and whatever else escapes the residual and/ or first pass. These activities are done up to the 6 leaf stage of corn maximum, usually the goal is to have this completed by the third leaf stage, but sometimes weather doesn't allow that.

For later passes it depends on where you are in the world. There is a large push to apply more of the nitrogen that the corn needs closer to tassel, effectively allows for less nitrogen to be used when growing. With larger sprayers guys can use y-drops or a front side dress tool bar. These will get used to apply nitrogen and sometimes a bit of other fertilizer between waist high corn and when the tassel is emerging. Its just N and is dribbled or knifed into the ground. Other guys may just use a side dress unit behind a tractor and that will get done before waist high corn because tractors have less clearance than large sprayers. Neither of these scenarios are a product concern for cannabis, but they are a huge security risk for the guerilla, since the farmer is going to be in the field.

Then, and much more so in the US than Canada or Europe, guys will spray fungicide and insecticides in the same pass. In the US they can also use plant growth regulators/ hormones. They mainly aren't allowed in Canada, not likely Europe either, but can't guarantee that. This is the stuff that I worry people are unaware of. Newer insecticides are much less toxic to people than the older class of chemistries, however they are still something I would never want to smoke. High yield corn growers who are fine tuning every aspect of their production will put a fungicide and hormone (if in US) pass down around 9 leaf corn. Then they will come back at tassel with a different or higher rate of fungicide, and sometimes they are using insecticide as well. The US is a much better environment for cutworm outbreaks, so they tend to spray more often there.

I've rambled on too much, but just be careful with your product out there. A grass waterway in a field would have less spray risk, as they don't spray those because they want to keep the grass (usually). Corn guerillas are how I got into growing so this isn't to knock them, I have a debt to them. I found a bunch of seeds in the lower buds that they left years ago, and that was my start into growing. Just something to watch out for. Stay safe everyone.

My family still farms. My brother's neighbor is an OPP (Ontario Provincial Police). He finds weed in his fields every year. He told the cop about it and all he said was "It's all over the fucking place. Just mow it down." lol.

There are hormones used in farming in Canada. GA3-GA4 to increase internodal spacing to increase silage (not kernels, just the stalk), and another (I don't remember the name at the moment) to decrease internodal spacing to protect crops like wheat from wind damage by keeping them shorter. To grow Monsanto Rapeseed, it has to be treated with a Monsanto specific hormones to remove the seed from dormancy or it won't sprout. I'm sure there are others. But hormones are tightly regulated in farming in Canada. Especially in livestock.

But the farming industry is funny. You'd be surprised what you can get a a local co-op. Just wander up to the dairy section and you'll find all sorts of goodies. Even to make your ISO or quick wash.

 

[Swamp Thang]

From what Peace has written above about the variable crop spraying regimes using such a variety of chemicals, my instinct would be to avoid growing weed in corn farms entirely because accurately predicting which chemicals might be used by farmers, and when they are likely to be sprayed is an inexact science at best and a perilous gamble at worst, assuming one is growing for personal consumption.

But for this worry about chemical contamination, I really like the concept of growing some premium fertilizer-enriched cannabis deep in the midst of a massive cornfield where finding one's secret garden requires the use of a GPS receiver. Hopefully, modern large-scale agriculture will gradually evolve away from the extensive use of chemicals towards a more organic approach, though such a transition will at least for a while generate less income per harvest.

 

[TychoMonolyth]

If you're worried, then plant when the corn it 2 feet tall. Nitrogen should kicking in by then anyway. lol

 

[@peace]

Hey man, I am from Ontario as well. The dead weeds above are from a herbicide pass as you mentioned, that kills weeds (I mention that for others, I'm sure you know that). What I am saying guys need to be careful about is in crop applications of fungicides, which protect the corn from plant diseases, and more so insecticides, which people mainly use in corn to kill western bean cutworm during outbreaks. This insecticide is applied starting around tassel which is usually second week of July as a ball park in Ontario, and that spray may be applied up until the middle of August. This is for Ontario, guys in Texas will be harvesting by that time, so adjust for your area. Headline is an example of a fungicide that I'm talking about and Delegate is the type of insecticide that I'm referring to. They may have different trade names in western Canada and the states but the active in Headline is pyraclostrobin and Delegate is spinetoram.

In the past 15 years there has been a bigger push to use these in crop, the first big push was the during the market run up during 2006 - 2008. Corn is at record pricing currently and for this coming season. Sometimes things like fungicide passes are skipped when pricing is lower and margins are tight. However at these values more guys are willing to do it. If weather conditions are favourable, there will be a lot of fungicide going down this year and they will add insecticide if needed. We rarely ever use insecticide. We like our beneficial insects like lady bugs to do the job instead of chemicals. However when things are really bad we do have to use them. For example we've only sprayed one corn field with insecticide in the past decade. Others spray more often. We usually spray 10 - 25% of our corn with fungicide at tassel in a given year. We battle disease a lot being between the great lakes though.

I don't want to bog down this thread on this subject. I just want guys to know what they are risking if they care to know. Not all fields get these sprays, but more and more do, and more so in the past decade. Millions of pounds of quality cannabis have been grown this way, if not more, but farmers practices are changing and people should be aware of that.

 

[@peace]

TychoMonolyth. The hydro pole tip is a good one. Like you said farmers stay away from them because they don't like to hit them and wreck equipment or have angry neighbours when the pole comes down, lol.

 

[TychoMonolyth]

Peace
I agree 100%. I've seen them spray from choppers just like the old biplanes. Look like way more fun than just watching. I would abandon my crop if it was in there.

 

[St. Phatty]

I think growers in California should plan on making wildfire management part of their grow plans.

It may work out that the better crops during smoky grow seasons, are done in greenhouses.

Last year we had an incident where a woman was possibly inebriated, and walking along the road in a forested area throwing lit matches into the dry leaves.

Starting several spot fires in the process.

As in "La Di Da" ... throws a lit match, then continues walking and singing or talking to herself ... and throwing lit matches.

There are SO MANY examples like that, that it's not hard to predict that 2022 will be a Whopper wildfire season in California.
This viewpoint was called "Doom and Gloom" by a visitor to Wildfire Today.

I remember around 1990, reading an Ed Rosenthal book on Cannabis growing at Cody's bookstore.
He recommended 389 ppm. Said it was like feeding Steroids to the plants.
Of course when I grew indoors, I was super-religious about CO2 supplementation. First using flour yeast and water, then switching to sugar yeast and water.

Now it's done sort of naturally, by burning fossil fuels in huge quantities, and by the CO2 emitted from wildfires.
And CO2 levels are up to 420 ppm.

Anyway, at this point I think the wisest thing for many Cannabis growers, in some locations, is to plan on how to grow a good Medical/ personal use crop, without it being harmed by smoke.

Though personally the Cannabis I grew during the smokey wildfire summers, outdoors, turned out AOK, no smokey smell.

Maybe the best thing to do is simply to protect your grow area from wildfire, WITHOUT losing Stealth, if that is part of your situation.

Or start a few extra locations, hoping that they don't all get burned if there's a fire in your area.

 

[Swamp Thang]

Wow St. Phatty, it never crossed my mind that CO2 from forest fires could have a beneficial effect on plants, provided of course they stay protected from the flames.

That wacky woman throwing lit matches about in such tinder-dry conditions should have been made a short-term guest of the local sheriff's department at the very least, or better still sent to the loony bin after a quick evaluation. She was attempting to commit arson of the sort that could easily have cost lives and livelihoods within hours.

 

[hamstring]

Why Do We Spray?

BY JAKEPOSTED ONJULY 12, 2013
There was a time, not too long ago, that June and July were relatively quiet months on the farm. Once in-crop weed spraying was finished, work in the fields was essentially completed. Farmers were able to spend their summers getting ready for harvest, taking care of unseeded low-lying areas in their fields, and attend weddings and other social events.

Summer this year has been a whirlwind so far. In-crop spraying was completed about two weeks ago (mostly), but fungicide season has only just gotten started. Every sprayer is rolling full out on whatever fields are ready to spray, and farmers are busy checking the rest of the fields to see if they are ready. It is not unheard of to spray 40,000 acres per season, per sprayer.

Perhaps I should explain what I mean by “in-crop spraying”. After seeding is complete in late May to mid-June, crops must all be sprayed to kill weeds. Make no mistake, this is a critical application, as a crop left to fight weeds on its own can be quickly overwhelmed by competition. Thanks to genetic modification, many of our crops are easy to deal with, such as corn, soybeans and canola. Some are also very competitive, like wheat and barley. However, crops like peas and lentils, even with proper herbicide application, can easily be outcompeted by difficult weeds like kochia, wild buckwheat, wild oats, etc. Spraying these crops is a big project and it takes many hours on the sprayer; but it is not the final application of the year.

As soon as the weeds are taken care of, crops are carefully monitored for disease and insects. Most diseases need wet, humid air and warm temperatures for optimum growth and infection. These diseases are mostly fungi, with a wide variety of species infecting each crop. In wheat, tan spot can be very damaging to the leaves, removing photosynthetic area and replacing it with tan-coloured spots. In canola, white mouldcan devastate yield potential, choking off the stem and starving the plant. In other crops such as lentils, some diseases can virtually kill an entire field in a matter of days (e.g. Anthracnose).

From the outside looking in on agriculture, you may wonder why we spray so many chemicals on our crops. We would not spray fungicides if we didn’t need to. These are expensive products that require many hours on the sprayer to apply, and many of them have extremely tight application windows. Also, during the summer months, I can guarantee you every farmer would rather be at the lake than spraying non-stop.

Take Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) for example, caused by Fusarium graminearum. This disease, if left unchecked, infects the seeds of durum, wheat and barley, elevating levels of a vomitoxin called deoxynivalenol (DON). As the name suggests, this toxin induces vomiting and can be dangerous if consumed in high enough levels. Therefore, if our grain is infected with FHB, it will be worth a lot less to try and sell. Would you want to eat bread or pastries or drink beer infected with this? It is a difficult disease to control, and we check our durum daily to try and catch the optimal window for fungicide application, which is about a two-day opportunity while the head is flowering. A wheat head that has completed flowering, and therefore moved past its application window, is shown below:

We sprayed this crop to protect it from FHB, as climatic conditions are perfect for its development. Unfortunately, we also had to apply a product that everyone hates: chlorpyrifos, also known by its brand name, Lorsban. This product is an insecticide, and yes it is somewhat hazardous. We applied it to protect our crop from the dreaded grasshopper. These verocious insects can eat a lot of material very quickly. To compound the problem, we also found some of these bugs:

This little bug on the wheat head is called the orange blossom wheat midge, a nasty little insect that lays its eggs in the florets of wheat and durum, which hatch later on and chew on the developing kernel. Like FHB-damaged kernels, this also causes grade loss.

Spraying insecticides is not a fun job, but sometimes it is necessary to protect the massive investment we put into our crops every year. We avoid spraying them as much as we can, but you do not have to worry about their safety. There is no kernel, or any form of it, in that wheat head yet. Lorsban has a residual of about 7 days. This plant is at least 40 days from harvest. All of our insecticides, indeed all of our chemicals, have a regulated pre-harvest interval to ensure no residue remains at harvest. Furthermore, scientists have developed economic thresholds to determine when it is worth spraying insecticides to prevent unnecessary spraying. Believe me, if I didn’t believe this our food was safe after spraying with insecticides, would I really be out there spraying it? Would I eat it with my family?

The reason I have covered this in such detail isn’t to tell you how tough farming is. I love farming, and I couldn’t think of a career I could enjoy more. I tell you this so that you may know why we do the things we do. Contrary to popular belief, we don’t smother our crops with pesticides; we target herbicides (kills weeds), fungicides (kills fungi) and insecticides (kills bugs) to specific fields that require them. Someday, maybe we will have better tools that allow us to reduce pesticide use (genetic engineering is by far the best path forward for this), but for now, these are the best options we have. And the reality is, for the most part, they have been proven safe by journal article after peer-reviewed journal article.

That’s my rant for today. Hopefully I can get back on this blog more often in the future, as fungicide season will only last another week or so. I am looking forward to its conclusion. It has been a busy spray season!

Oh, one more point, in case you were wondering how the “summer of storms” has progressed since my last post about it. Immediately after that post, some fields got 3 inches of rain. Yeah. Not good. But things have improved since, and because of near ideal weather in the past two weeks, we are now looking at the potential for a very nice crop. Our fingers are crossed!

If you disagree with me about pesticides and their safety, please comment, and I’ll be happy to discuss it with you. This is a subject I take very seriously, and I have done a great deal of research on it.

 

[hamstring]

Corn Growth Stage and Herbicide Application Postemergence

SUMMARY


Herbicides are increasingly applied postemergence (POST) in corn for season-long control of weeds. Fields should be scouted prior to POST herbicide applications to accurately determine the growth stage of corn and weeds. Herbicide product labels need to be followed according to the corn growth stage and other recommendations for POST applications. Environmental conditions should also be considered relating to how they may affect herbicide applications, efficacy, and crop safety.


IMPORTANCE OF CORN GROWTH STAGE


When choosing a herbicide or tank mix combination to be applied POST, growers need to consider the weed species present, weed heights, and the corn growth stage. Taller corn is generally more sensitive to potential herbicide injury, particularly when nozzles are applying the spray directly into the whorl of the plant. Drop nozzles can be used in taller corn (generally 24 inches or more) to help provide better weed coverage and prevent spraying directly into the whorl.

Herbicide product labels provide directions for over-the-top broadcast and directed drop nozzle applications in corn. Labels provide a maximum corn growth stage after which broadcast applications should not be made (Table 1). In corn with Roundup Ready® 2 Technology, Roundup® brand glyphosate-only agricultural herbicides can be applied broadcast up to the V8 growth stage or 30-inch tall corn, whichever comes first. Drop nozzles should be used for optimum spray coverage and weed control when corn is 24 to 30 inches tall. When corn is 30 to 48 inches tall, only use drop nozzles and avoid spraying into the whorls of the corn plants.

Some labels also indicate the minimum corn growth stage before POST applications should be made. For example, Capreno® herbicide can be applied POST when corn reaches the V1 stage up through V7 or 20-inch tall corn, whichever comes first. Broadcast applications of Capreno herbicide in corn grown for seed are recommended from the V1 to V5 growth stages.

Growth stages on herbicide product labels are usually indicated as a corn leaf stage or plant height, and sometimes both are listed. The growth stage that is most restrictive should be followed when both corn leaf stage and height are listed on the label. When using a tank mixture, follow the recommendations for the most restrictive label language of the products being used in the tank mix.

Plant height is determined by measuring from the soil surface to the arch of the uppermost leaf that is more than 50% emerged (Figure 1). Plant height may not be an accurate determination of growth stage, because adverse environmental conditions can result in corn plants that are physiologically older than their height suggests.

Corn leaf stage is determined by counting collars when leaves emerge from the whorl and a band is formed around the stem (Figure 1). Leaves that are just emerging from the whorl will not have a visible collar and are not counted. Leaf stages are designated using a “V” (vegetative) to represent each leaf during vegetative development. The first true leaf (coleoptile leaf) on corn is the short, rounded leaf near the soil surface, which is counted as V1. Each successive, visible leaf collar is counted as V2, V3, and all the way to V18, which emerges prior to tasseling. As corn plants grow, the lower leaves can die or tear away, making it difficult to accurately count the collars. Corn generally loses its coleoptile leaf by the time it reaches the V5 growth stage. To stage older plants, dig up the plant and split the stalk down into the root ball. Find the triangular “woody” base of the stalk and locate the first internode above the base. The woody, horizontal node is the point of attachment for the fifth leaf or collar. For example, if you can count 5 visible leaf collars above this point, the corn plant is in the V10 growth stage.


POST APPLICATION CONSIDERATIONS

• ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS. The type and amount of corn injury from a POST application beyond the labeled window for the herbicide(s) can be dependent on the herbicide(s), the exact timing of application, and environmental stress.
• Environmental conditions influence the absorption herbicides and potential crop tolerance. Corn under stress may not metabolize some herbicides quickly enough to avoid crop injury. Cool temperatures and wet soils can slow the growth of corn and alter its development. Warm and humid conditions promote rapid absorption, while cool and dry conditions may slow the crop’s development. Corn can become more responsive to herbicides during favorable growing conditions due to changes in the leaf cuticle that may allow greater absorption.
• Spray additives can increase the rate of herbicide uptake by the crop. Injury symptoms resulting from spray additives include chlorotic mottling or necrosis of leaves and may only be temporary as the crop recovers. Herbicide product labels should be followed regarding spray additives that are recommended.
• Herbicide residues from previous applications may remain in the spray tank causing contamination. This contamination could cause an unwanted interaction with the herbicides applied to corn.
• POST-applied herbicide Injury symptoms can include leaf chlorosis or necrosis, onion leafing, internode stacking, rat tailing, ear pinching, ear bottlenecking, brace root malformation, and green snap. Corn ear development can be affected if POST-applied herbicides are applied late in the growing season. Therefore, it is important to always read and follow the corn growth stage restrictions on the herbicide product labels.

 

[hamstring]

Why Do You See Airplanes Flying Low Over Farm Fields?


Aerial application is often the most efficient and most economical way to apply crop protection products, fertilizer and even seed to grow and protect crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat. Aircrafts can treat fields when the soil moisture is too great for the operation of ground application equipment and can also apply necessary crop protection products when the crop canopies become too tall or are too thick for ground application equipment. When pests or diseases threaten a crop, time of application becomes critical. An airplane or helicopter can accomplish more in one hour than ground equipment can in a single day.
Who Are Flying These Planes?


Aerial applicators are highly-trained professionals. The average aerial applicator has over 20 years experience in the industry. The aircraft ranges in price from $100,000 to $1.5 million and utilize sophisticated precision application technologies such as GPS (global positioning systems) and GIS (geographical information systems), flow controls, and precisely calibrated spray application equipment to make sure the pilot is accurate in applying the product to the crop.

A complete list of Illinois licensed pesticide applicators, including individuals licensed to make aerial pesticide applications, can be found via the following link: Licensed Pesticide Applicator / Operator Search. To search for licensed aerial applicators or operators, select AGS (aerial general standards) under the "category" criteria and press the "Search for the selected criteria" bar.
Who Regulates Aerial Applicators?


Aerial application performed in Illinois is regulated under the provisions of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Illinois Pesticide Act. The Illinois Department of Agriculture administers these statutes and associated rules, working under delegated authorities from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). In addition, the federal Departments of Homeland Security, Federal Aviation Administration and the US Department of Transportation have oversight over specific aspects of the industry. Regulatory personnel inspect operations and require strict and specific documentation of each field sprayed. These same agencies continually monitor environmental and public health to assure safe and legal application of crop protection products.
What Products Are Most Likely Being Applied?


The common classes of pesticides regulated by USEPA and the IL Department of Agriculture that are applied by air are insecticides and fungicides. Because insects and fungal diseases often attack agricultural crops late in their growing seasons, aerial application may be the only method available to control these pests and diseases in an attempt to reduce significant losses in crop yield.

Fungicides are chemical compounds or biological organisms used to kill or control fungi or fungal spores. Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture production areas, resulting in critical losses of yield, quality and profit. Fungicides are used both in agriculture and to fight fungal infections in animals. Fungicides can either be contact or systemic. A contact fungicide kills fungi by direct contact; a systemic fungicide has to be absorbed by the affected organism.

Crop Data Managemnt Service, Inc has a database including the Specimen Labels and Safety Data Sheets for some commonly applied agricultural fungicides -
Headline®
Specimen Label - SDS
Quilt®
Specimen Label - SDS
Stratego®
Specimen Label - SDS
Quadris®
Specimen Label - SDS

An insecticide is a pesticide used to control insects and includes ovicides and larvicides used against the eggs and larvae of insects, respectively. Insecticides are used in agriculture, medicine, industry and the household. Used incorrectly insecticides can be toxic and are generally categorized as Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs); thus only appropriated licensed individuals are allowed to apply insecticides for agricultural use.

Click below for Specimen Labels and Material Safety Data Sheets for some commonly applied agricultural insecticides -
Warrior II®Specimen Label - SDSMustang Maxx®Specimen Label - SDSBaythroid®Specimen Label - SDSLeverage®Specimen Label - SDS
The Illinois Department of Agriculture maintains a database of all pesticides, including herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, and others, appropriately registered for use in Illinois. A complete searchable listing of registered products can be found via the following link: Pesticide Product Registration.
What Should I Do If I Feel I Have Been Exposed To These Products From An Aerial Application?


The application of these products by aerial application is intended to treat crops that are listed on the pesticide product labels at specified rates. The application of product in a manner which results in off-target consequences should be reported to the Illinois Department of Agriculture at 1-800-641-3934.

While off-target exposure cases are rare, if you experience pesticide exposure from drift, you should seek medical attention immediately. For immediate assistance, contact the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 or call 911 if symptoms are severe such as shortness of breath, abdominal pain, sweating, muscle weakness, vomiting or diarrhea.

The common first aid for exposure to pesticides would be to treat for skin and respiratory exposure. The impacted individual should be moved to fresh air immediately. All contaminated clothing should be removed. The exposed area should be washed with generous amounts of water and soap. If much of the body is exposed, shower with soap and water, and use shampoo to remove chemicals from the scalp and hair. Also consider that pesticides may be retained under fingernails and in skin folds. Persons attending the victim should avoid direct contact with heavily contaminated clothing and wear chemical-resistant gloves while washing the victim. The ingestion of pesticides is more serious and the victim must seek immediate professional medical attention.
Reporting Alleged Pesticide Misuse


Cases of suspected pesticide misuse should be reported to the Illinois Department of Agriculture at 1-800-641-3934. The Department's responsibility is to investigate a pesticide misuse complaint, determine whether any violations of the Illinois Pesticide Act have occurred and initiate any administrative actions deemed necessary based upon a detected violation. The Department's responsibility does not include the offering of assistance in the pursuit of damage reimbursement.

A complaint form to assist in the submittal to the department of information associated with an alleged pesticide misuse complaint can be accessed at the following internet address: Pesticide Incident Complaint Form​. When completing a complaint form, please provide as much information as possible about the incident. Feel free to attach additional pages to the form if need.

A complaint form must be received by the Department within 30 days of the incident or within 30 days of when the damage associated with the incident was first noticed pursuant to 8 IAC 250.200. Complaints received by the Department after this 30-day period will be kept on file at the department but no investigation or administrative action can be pursued.

Copies of the Department's completed complaint investigation file, including any analytical sample results, will only be provided in response to a request submitted under the Freedom Information Act. In most cases, a copy of a complaint investigation file will not be released until the Department has completed the investigation, any potential enforcement action has been taken, and the case has been closed. If you wish to receive a copy of the investigation file related to your complaint, please send a written request addressed to:
Freedom of Information Office,
Illinois Department of Agriculture
State Fairgrounds
P.O. Box 19281
Springfield, IL 62794-9281.

Completed forms can be emailed, faxed, or mailed to the Department. Faxes should be submitted to (217) 524-4882 while mail should be addressed to:
Illinois Department of Agriculture,
Bureau of Environmental Programs,
P.O. Box 19281
Springfield, IL 62794-9281