Zero Drift Tolerance

 The quantity and quality of the nation's food supply is due in part to the crop protection chemicals that keep insects and plant diseases from harming crops. The Environmental Protection Agency is considering new regulations that would make it much harder for growers to use those products on their crops. American Farm Bureau crop protection specialist Tyler Wegmeyer says one new provision would be nearly impossible for farmers to adhere to: “It’s going to have an unattainable zero-tolerance standard in which it will say that you can absolutely have no spray drift. So what EPA is saying is that is not allowable under any circumstances. Attaining a zero drift standard is completely unattainable.   Drift happens.  It’s just a matter of limiting its effects and farmers are taking every precaution that they possibly can through technology and through application practices to make sure that minimal drift occurs.  But you cannot prevent every single molecule of that crop protection product from going to that specific area. farmers need access to crop protection products.  When a disease or insect infestation comes on and you need to react, you need to do it immediately. You do not have the ability to wait.  If these new stringent standards come into play, it is going to take products off the market.  It is going to make products unavailable for farmers to use which is going to affect their crop production.”

Here’s a solution. Have EPA scientists figure out a way to get the wind to stop blowing. But then you’d hurt the people in the windmill/windpower industry. Life sure ain’t perfect is it?