Pesticide drift damages Oregon vineyards

In Oregon, a rapidly growing number of vineyards that share boundaries with farms and private forestlands are being affected by pesticide drift, reports Susan Palmer of the Register-Guard. Herbicides have been used in Oregon for decades, and "often on rugged terrain that makes following product rules difficult," writes Palmer.

To compound the problem, grapes are notoriously sensitive to chemicals that kill broad-leaf weeds and pesticides for timberland are often administered by helicopter. Aerial drift is even harder to control in the windy, moist climate of Oregon. The pesticide industry acknowledges that drift is so challenging a problem that it can’t be eliminated, writes Palmer. Oregon vineyard owners Kevin and Karen Kohlman filed suit against neighboring company Roseburg Forest Products for the effects of the company's use of herbicides on its forest land. The Kohlmans say Roseburg's aerial spraying killed much of their vineyard. The Kohlmans and Roseburg settled out of court, after several years of legal wrangling.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed revisions to restrict herbicide use in order to limit drift, but pesticide companies are challenging the language in the revisions. The EPA has proposed additional label language warning applicators to avoid drift, but there is no schedule for making the change, agency officials said to Palmer. (Read more)