Specialty Crop Farmers, Beekeepers Encouraged to Update Information on the Iowa Sensitive Crops Registry

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today encouraged beekeepers and producers of pesticide sensitive crops to register, renew or update their production plots, fields and beehive locations on the Iowa Sensitive Crops Registry.

“Specialty crop producers and beekeepers are highly encouraged to register or update their information annually on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Sensitive Crops Registry,” said Secretary Naig. “Up-to-date location information combined with good communication is key to ensuring harmony between neighboring crops and production methods.”

The online registry fosters enhanced communication and collaboration between producers of pesticide-sensitive crops, beekeepers and pesticide applicators. Producers that have not yet used the registry are encouraged to set up accounts and identify where their fields and hives are located. Previous registry users should annually confirm that their information and locations are still accurate.

Since 2017, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has partnered with the non-profit entity FieldWatch™, Inc. to provide the online registries, which include state-of-the-art mapping features that identify production sites and one-mile radius boundaries around apiaries. Two of the online registry tools developed and provided by FieldWatch™, Inc. include: driftwatch®, a registry for use by producers of commercial crops sensitive to pesticides, and beecheck®, a registry site for beekeepers and apiarists.

Specialty crop producers with apiaries may enter hive locations using either driftwatch® or beecheck®. Submitted producer site entries are overseen by state-appointed stewards at the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship prior to their inclusion.

The intended crops for listing on the registries include, but are not limited to, beehives, apiaries, commercial fruit and vegetable plots, commercial nursery crops, commercial vineyards, commercial orchards, commercial Christmas tree plantings, and certified organic row crops, small grains, and pastures. All specialty crops grown certified organic may be designated as such on the driftwatch™ registry. The minimum field size for all specialty crop sites is ½ acre.