Agronomist: Pesticides Herbicides are Safe, and Wise

As the conversation continues over safe pesticide use, local agronomists have weighed in on the conversation.  Bleyhl agronomist Don Waddle told the Washington Ag Network, many outside of the ag community claim all pesticide use is dangerous.  He says it’s time Inland Northwest producers set the record straight.

“My believe is when I make a recommendation it’s no different than a person going to the doctor for a problem.  And in the medial field its called medicine in the agriculture field it’s called a pesticide or a fungicide and they’re all under the pesticide laws.  We make pesticide recommendations based on the severity of what pests we have out there.”

Waddle says in Washington pesticides must be registered for that specific crop to be applied.  He adds there are several factors agronomists look at before applying a pesticide, herbicide or fungicide, including weather, wind, the and what know as Risk Factor, which covers how many units of any given pesticide can be used on a specific crop with in the year.

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