Agriculture
and Environment Symposium
Nutrients and
Pesticides - Tools, Research and Implementation
New Practices
on the Horizon
May
3, 2002
Pesticides have long
been considered a significant source of human health risks as well as a
significant contributor to non-point pollution. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Pesticide
Control Program has long felt that one of the most effective ways to regulate
this diverse group of toxic chemicals is to have a greater understanding of
their use, impact and distribution in New Jersey.
The initial step in
this process was the development and implementation of the Pesticide Use Survey
process. This process, through the
submission of the required pesticide use records of certified applicators, has
allowed the documentation of pesticide applications performed by a wide range
of applicators. From agriculture to
golf course, from right-of-way to lawn care, the patterns weave a unique
pattern of pesticide use in New Jersey.
While these pesticides have nationwide use, the pattern describes the
population, climate, land use and pressures of our state.
The next charge is
the characterization of the residues present as a result of those applications,
a task still under way. Monitoring
programs over the past decade have attempted to identify pesticide residues in
nearly every conceivable setting, from golf course ponds to shallow ground
water in the coastal plain to interiors of homes and dormitories. This documentation provides insight into
what can be expected in given circumstances as well as providing a valid
comparison for models and other projections.
The most recent effort is the New Jersey Food Monitoring and Evaluation
Program that seeks to examine and catalog the pesticide residues detected on
New Jersey grown-and/or-consumed produce.
This process mandated the development and modification of methods for
analysis of environmental samples of many types for a wide range of pesticide
residues.
The current phase is
that of examining the effectiveness and the usefulness of the applications
themselves. This involves partnerships
well beyond the scope of the regulatory agencies and utilizing expertise from a
variety of sources. Initial projects
working with golf courses and their home communities have been highly
successful. Several states are
examining similar approaches based on the initial New Jersey studies.
These efforts are
not limited to just the pesticide use but extend well beyond to the examination
of the management conducted on site.
Identification of workable and practical Best Management Practices
(BMPs) leads to adoption, examination and validation. Appropriate monitoring of the environmental setting provides a
means of gauging the success of the program.
The knowledge gained provides "real world" data that is
critical in addressing the issues and concerns of New Jersey's citizens. This approach is particularly effective
within the context of New Jersey's diverse watersheds.
This overall
approach is well suited to collaborative efforts among many different groups,
organizations and agencies dealing with agriculture. Programs need to be put in place that examine agriculture as it
is currently practiced in New Jersey and provide solid management practices
that significantly reduce the environmental and human health risks associated
with pesticide use. The time to
implement these programs is now. The
results of such efforts can only improve the future of agriculture.