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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Agricultural pesticide products in Illinois have
3 been proven to protect and improve crop yield by controlling
4 weed competition, protecting against insect damage, and
5 enhancing plant health; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The application of these products by licensed
7 professionals contributes significantly to the Illinois
8 agricultural industry's ability to improve farm receipts and
9 economic output despite the fact that crop acreage in Illinois
10 continues to be lost to urban development; and
 
11     WHEREAS, The specialty crop industry, which includes
12 vineyards, organic farms, fruit and vegetable farms,
13 horticultural operations, and bee apiaries, is also a vital and
14 growing sector of the State's agricultural industry; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Some of these specialty crops are particularly
16 sensitive to some agricultural pesticides commonly used in
17 grain production; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Both the modern grain production industry and the
19 specialty crop industry have expressed a desire to find a
20 method to better communicate the presence and location of
21 sensitive crops in order to avoid conflicts or

 

 

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1 misunderstandings regarding pesticide applications made near
2 these sensitive crops and to avoid any potential drift
3 scenarios; and
 
4     WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Agriculture, in
5 cooperation with the agrichemical industry, is in the process
6 of implementing a comprehensive internet-based geographic
7 information system that will allow specialty growers to
8 voluntarily share the physical location of their production
9 areas with the agrichemical industry in order to assist the
10 agrichemical industry in further minimizing and mitigating the
11 potential for pesticide drift onto these crops; and
 
12     WHEREAS, This internet-based geographic information system
13 will be used not only in Illinois, but also in Indiana, Ohio,
14 Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, and its implementation
15 will be initially funded by the Region 5 USEPA in order to
16 avoid excessive cost to the Illinois Department of Agriculture,
17 the State of Illinois, and all agricultural producers; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Growers of sensitive crops may voluntarily use
19 this system to identify their locations and provide helpful
20 written information regarding the potential for certain types
21 of pesticides to cause harm to their specific crops if drift
22 occurs; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Information regarding this system and its mapping
2 capabilities will be integrated into the University of Illinois
3 Extension Service Pesticide Safety Education Program; its
4 capabilities will, thus, be demonstrated to all licensed
5 pesticide applicators; and its use will be encouraged so that
6 these potentially sensitive locations can be integrated into
7 the software systems used by ground and aerial applicators in
8 order to highlight property boundaries around sensitive crops
9 and avoid the potential for drift; and
 
10     WHEREAS, The agrichemical industry, the specialty and
11 organic crop industry, bee apiary owners, the Illinois
12 Department of Agriculture, and the University of Illinois
13 Extension support the implementation, application, and use of
14 this system; therefore, be it
 
15     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
16 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
17 CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the Illinois Department of
18 Agriculture to implement this internet-based geographic
19 information system in order to help identify sensitive crops,
20 foster meaningful communication between specialty growers and
21 pesticide applicators, lessen the likelihood of pesticide
22 drift in the agricultural community, and protect the interests
23 of all parties involved in production agriculture; and be it
24 further
 

 

 

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1     RESOLVED, That the Director of Agriculture shall provide a
2 report regarding the implementation of this internet-based
3 geographic information system to the Secretary of the Senate
4 and the Clerk of the House of Representatives by December 31,
5 2010; and be it further
 
6     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7 delivered to the Director of Agriculture.