Best Management Practices - Farm

  1. Chemical Storage and Transfer (PDF)
  2. Irrigation Water Management Measure (PDF)
  3. Management Measure for Wastewater and Runoff from Confined Animal Facility (PDF)
  4. Nutrient Management (PDF)
  5. Pest Management (PDF)
  6. Pesticide Container Disposal (PDF)
  7. Proper Pesticide Storage and Waste Handling (PDF)

Pesticide Use Tips

  • Minimize groundwater and surface water contamination by following label directions exactly. The label's use instructions, approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have been carefully developed after many years of study and testing.
  • Avoid the temptation to use more product than the label directs. Overdosing will not do a better job of controlling the pests, it will only increase both the cost of the pest control and the chance that the material may reach groundwater or a surface water body.
  • Create one location as a mixing, loading, and storage area. Avoid locating loading and mixing areas near wells, high runoff areas or surface water bodies.
  • Apply pesticides when they are most effective in terms of temperature, wind, and moisture conditions.
  • Calibrate application equipment at the beginning of the growing season and then re-calibrate regularly during the growing season. The required quantity of pesticide should be carefully measured to ensure proper application rates and to prevent leftover tank mixes.
  • Formulate comprehensive pest management plans that allow for safe pesticide use and reduce the potential for contamination of water resources.
  • Understand that improper disposal of pesticide waste can cause surface or groundwater contamination. A good way to prepare containers for disposal is to pressure rinse them, returning the rinse water to the spray tank.
  • Avoid back-siphoning by keeping the end of the hose above the fluid level in the tank. A hose placed into the pesticide mixture could back-siphon directly into you well if the pump is turned off or if it quits due to power failure.
  • Do not mix or apply chemicals near your well.
  • Use crop residues to protect cultivated fields during critical erosion periods.