FYI...Fallout from an incident in Georgia

[ThreeWide]

Some of you might be interested to know what is occuring in Georgia as a result of a recent incident with pesticides. Things like this are alarming, because you know that public outcries always seem to be trying to hurt our industry. This was somewhat of a damage control effort by some of our agribusiness leaders in the state. I was unable to attend this meeting, but it would have been interesting to say the least.

We wanted to alert GTA membership of a public meeting the Peachtree City Recreation Department is sponsoring entitled “Pesticide Use on Sports Fields,” on Tuesday, November 29 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the City Hall council chambers. The public is invited to this free informational session. Representatives from the Georgia Agribusiness Council will be in attendance and we encourage other interested parties to attend as well. The meeting announcement is attached for your review and directions to the City Hall are posted below.

As you are probably aware, this issue surfaced over the summer when children playing soccer on a sports field that had been treated earlier in the day by a professional turfgrass management company became ill. The workshop is being organized as a result of concerns expressed by a small group of soccer parents who object to the city’s use of pesticides on sports fields to control weeds. The Recreation Department intends to establish an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that will control and minimize the use of pesticides. We are thankful that several of the panelists are those that the industry has worked with over the years and are knowledgeable of the stewardship efforts utilized in the industry.

(Panelists names removed)

Each panelist will have five minutes to give remarks then the floor will be opened for audience Q&A.

 

[kjm]

I wish I had remembered to attend......sounded like they had quite lineup of speakers set to speak......should be covered in local paper tomorrow....I think you could read it on line........thecitizen.com

 

[stumper1620]

sounds like a major lack of communication with the scheduling of spraying and playing, never should have been scheduled same day to begin with.
2,4-D??

 

[ThreeWide]

Here are two links in that local website with more on this story.

http://www.thecitizen.com/?q=node/1597

http://www.thecitizen.com/?q=node/1598

 

[slidell]

To stumper1620, how do you come up with how long to tell coaches to stay off a newly applied field(applied with weed control/fertilizer).

Are there any industry guidelines that I'm missing?

Thanks

 

[stumper1620]

To stumper1620, how do you come up with how long to tell coaches to stay off a newly applied field(applied with weed control/fertilizer).

Are there any industry guidelines that I'm missing?

Thanks

Its on the product label, normally a minimum 24 hours, I think it might even be more for an athletic field.

 

[ThreeWide]

I heard more on this story today.

Apparently TGCL sprayed the soccer field 4 DAYS prior to when the incident actually occured. Not sure what product was used, but they did use tracker dye. A youth soccer player went home with dye stains on clothing. The player then reported resipratory problems. Therefore, parents concluded it must have been the cause.

The public meeting held allowed all parties to discuss the issue, but nothing was resolved. Opinons and viewpoints were shared, but that was it.

The irony of the story is that the parents of the soccer player was also a residential customer of TGCL. The particular product had been applied to their lawn numerous times in the past with no incidents whatsoever.

My editoral point is this:

Despite the mess that came of this so far, it would have NEVER surfaced if the tracker dye had not been used. Even if the child had reported respiratory problems, without the dye on clothing the link to the soccer field application would have never occured. Just something to think about.

 

[stumper1620]

I heard more on this story today.

Apparently TGCL sprayed the soccer field 4 DAYS prior to when the incident actually occured. Not sure what product was used, but they did use tracker dye. A youth soccer player went home with dye stains on clothing. The player then reported resipratory problems. Therefore, parents concluded it must have been the cause.

The public meeting held allowed all parties to discuss the issue, but nothing was resolved. Opinons and viewpoints were shared, but that was it.

The irony of the story is that the parents of the soccer player was also a residential customer of TGCL. The particular product had been applied to their lawn numerous times in the past with no incidents whatsoever.

My editoral point is this:

Despite the mess that came of this so far, it would have NEVER surfaced if the tracker dye had not been used. Even if the child had reported respiratory problems, without the dye on clothing the link to the soccer field application would have never occured. Just something to think about.

4 days is more than long enough.
excellent point about the dye.