Parrott: Tour Good For Local Farmers, EPA

Last month, the Snake River Sugarbeet Growers Association hosted their 2nd annual EPA Crop Tour.  From August 11th-14th, Idaho’s farming community hosted staff members from the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs.  Samantha Parrott, Executive Director of the Snake River Sugarbeet Growers Association, noted all of Idaho agriculture was on display during the three-day event.

“So we showcased water and how irrigation works in the West, and they got to go to a potato farm, they saw onion harvest, we went to an onion packing shed, we saw some seed crops as well, we went to a winery and a vineyard.  And really the point of this tour is to bring EPA staff out on the farm and actually interact with the ag producers, that use the products.”

Parrott said the tour is beneficial for EPA staffers to see how farming takes place in the region, as well as the unique needs and challenges of western farmers.

“We have irrigation here, we have a desert climate; we just do things differently. So, for them to come and ee on the ground for themselves was really impactful and really important. And then just hearing from growers about the importance of keeping tools in their toolbox. In sugar beets, we don't have a ton of acres nationwide, and so that hurts us. There's not a ton of new products coming on the market, but we still deal with resistance from products. And so, our growers do a great job of rotating their crops and using different chemistries.” 

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