D22-Lancaster Farming Saturday, May 19,1990 WASHINGTON. D.C. Farm supply dealers will spend at least $lOO million on environmental safeguards over the next five years, according to a new survey. Dealers were surveyed on safe ty and environmental issues at a recent conference on agricultural legislative issues in Washington, D.C. The conference was spon sored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Environ mental Protection Agency, and ICI Americas Inc., a leading man ufacturer of crop protection pro ducts. More than 200 dealers repre senting about one-sixth of the nation’s agrichemical sales answered the survey, according to ICI. Spending for safeguards The dealers said that during the past five years, they had spent an average of almost $55,000 each on environmental safeguards. They projected that such spending Pa. Community CenterO Intersection of Pa. Rts. 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Some 93 percent of the dealers said that farmers and farm sup pliers are equally or more con cerned about environmental issues as people in urban areas. An over whelming 225 dealers 97 per- INE, TRACTOR., TOY SHOW -f FLEA MARKET PARADES DEMONSTRATIONS PEDAL PULLS CONTESTS JUNE 2*3. 1990 FIFTH RNNUfIL SHOW 4miles north of 1-78 20 miles west of Allentown, Pa. cent of the group said they con sider themselves to be environ mentalists. Read the label A majority of farmers rely on dealers for crop production advice, according to the survey. The dealers named a wide variety of environmental safeguards that they typically recommend, includ ing; • Following all directions on EPA-approved product labels. • Managing nitrogen fertilizer rates and applications to minimize potential groundwater contamina tion. • Controlling soil erosion. • Properly rinsing and disposing of leftover containers after farm chemicals are applied. Close to 80 percent of dealers surveyed said they recommend low input sustainable agriculture (LISA) practices, and that their customers are using them. The two LISA practices dealers men- MILK. IT DOES A BODY GOOD. • Special dairy stories and • What’s new in dairy research features • Marketing - Dairy’s future • Local Dairy Association news • Favorite dairy recipes DEADLINE FOR ADS EJ MAY 25 iSI 'n’hone 717-394-3047, 717-626-1164 or 717-733-6397^' turned most often were soil testing and crop rotation. But 96 percent of dealers said non-farm/urban populations do not believe farmers are practicing low-input management Misunderstood by public Dealers believe that farm com munity’s position on environmen tal issues isn’t well understood by the general public. Eighty-five percent said that urban consumers do not believe farmers are using sound environmental practices. However, most dealers aren’t opposed to public opinion playing a part in the regulation of farm chemicals. Sixty-three percent said regulation should be based on a combination of scientific review and public opinion. A large minor ity, 37 percent, believed that only scientific review should be con sidered. Sixty-three percent of dealers said that to best serve the public interest, federal government should regulate farm chemicals. A surprising 70 percent said state government should regulate farm chemicals; 27 percent said it should be the responsibility of loc- MIDDLE ATLANTIC MILK MARKETING ASSOCIATION, INC. Lancaster Fanning’s Special Annual FEATURING mwktmUm w ■mmwwL*m Get Complete Coverage Your Space Now In This SpeCiiJ al government. In the survey, dealers could choose more than one governmental body that they thought should regulate farm chemicals. About 155 dealers 69 per cent of the group said they would like to see more leadership from the USD A extension service in educating farmers and suppliers about environmental safeguards. Commitment to environment On the whole, the survey results show a movement among growers and dealers toward self-imposed environmental safeguards, said Walton of ICI. “A key element in the campaign, however, will be showing the non-farm public just how committed the agricultural industry is to environmental pro tection,” Walton said. Virginia Smith, a farmer and congressional representative from Nebraska, told a group of farm suppliers during the conference, “the greatest environmentalists are our farmers and ranchers. We have more at stake in preserving our land than anyone else, because we’re working off the land and preserving it for our children.”
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