High commodity prices have radically changed the economics of pesticide and fungicide use, says a North Dakota State University Extension Service pesticide program specialist.

“With the potential for good returns on crops, producers will no longer be reluctant to apply relatively costly pesticides, as they have in the past,” says Andrew Thostenson, NDSU Department of Plant Sciences. “For example, a few years ago, producers used to agonize about getting a high enough yield and quality boost to justify the expense of applying fungicides to control scab on small grains. Those days are gone. With crop prices this high, every pesticide application that can show even a modest return will be made.”

Pesticide prices are on the rise, but not to the same degree as crop prices. This year, producers will have a great deal of money tied up in their crops. Crops that do not perform well because of poor techniques used by an applicator could result in a serious financial dispute between a producer and applicator.

“High commodity prices and high input prices for seed, fertilizer and pesticides mean that farmers who sustain losses from a misapplication or drift could be seeking damages,” Thostenson says. “Damages could be sought from custom applicators or even neighbors in amounts that exceed $100 per acre and could range as high as $1,000 per acre, depending on the commodity, price or yield potential of the crop.”

With every pesticide being applied that can be applied, there will be shortages of preferred products and equipment.

“Planning ahead is essential,” Thostenson says. “Producers need to consider what the alternative is if they can’t get the preferred pesticide.”

Thostenson has these tips for producers:

• Have realistic expectations when hiring a custom applicator. The applicator may be very busy and may not be able to accept the job.
• There will be shortages of trained and experienced manpower to apply products in a timely manner. Be careful about hiring fly-by-night operators who promise good service and cheap prices, but have little or no experience dealing with the products the producer wants applied.
• With all the pesticides being applied, there will be a shortage of good spray days (winds of 3 to 10 miles per hour in a steady direction and without an inversion). This means that some pesticides will be applied during unfavorable weather conditions, so drift may be a greater problem this year than in a typical year.

Thostenson also has advice for applicators:

• There will be no shortage of work during the spraying season, so consider turning down jobs that are high-risk or involve people who have unrealistic expectations.
• Do not overpromise. When expectations are not met, misunderstandings can arise.
• People will be under stress to get pesticides applied in a timely manner. This means people will be more physically tired or rundown than usual. This is when mistakes in judgment occur and application equipment has a tendency to fail.
• Plan, prepare and be patient. To do otherwise could lead to serious misapplication problems. The temptation will be great, but do not take unnecessary risks.

“Producers and custom applicators will be under intense pressure, which could lead to short tempers,” Thostenson says. “Be mindful of this and exercise extreme prudence when interacting with people. A failure to do so may result in misunderstandings and disputes that lead to complaints being filed with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture or someone may seek out a law firm.”

NDSU Agriculture Communication