I'm helping someone plant trees along their property line. On the other side of the property line is a farm field. The ag field is on the west side of the property line. Do you foresee issues trying to grow trees in such a spot?

How far from the crop field line will the trees be and what type of trees? Some drift can go a ways, some spray has more harmful affects than others, and some trees are affected more than others.

Most commercial applicators today use many devices to curtail or lessen wind drift of chemicals. There are formulas that are added to the tank mixes, there are drift retardant products and better nozzles and also drop lines putting the product closer to the ground and still covering the ground they are s praying. Also there are wind level measurements that will cause applicators to not spray during certain wind speeds. One reason why many apply very early in the AM or even evenings when many times there is less wind. Modern day chemicals are applied hat much lower levels of chemical. but are more volitile and thus caution is important and also the use of the modern tools and technology to lower drift. Many times the outside rounds or 4 rows around the edge of the field are not sprayed which lessens drift issues as well. The person planting the trees can also talk with the farmer accross the fence line and alert him to what he is doing or planning to do. The person planting the trees can also choose to set back his trees from the fence line and have some grass type vegetation along the field edge as well.

Bryce

In today's litigious society farmers and applicators have had to really take a long hard look at drift and they've gone to great lengths to reduce the possibility. Just recently I read that dicamba has been more or less pulled from the market for that reason.

I would suggest opening a line of communication with the neighbor. But use caution just as we trappers can be a little thin-skinned when folks want to talk about what we do farmers can be even more so.

Most farmers hate trees along their fields. I got into it with the farmer who does not own the field, but farms it along my property. I planted a line of saw-tooth oak seedlings on my property line that most didn't make after he sprayed. He told me I didn't have any business planting trees that close to his crops. About 5 rows deep in his field along my property he has problems raising a crop there and will have for a few years due to a Pramitol spillage I "accidentally" had late one night

Good info so far, thanks.
The trees would be probably 15 feet from the edge of the crops.
Haven't decided on the type of tree yet..that is perhaps to be determined once more is known about the possible risk herbicide drift could have.
The landowner mentioned his plan to the farmer & didn't sence any animosity.

I had to laugh at the word curtail, if you know chemicals you’ll get it, but yeah most chemicals today don’t drift bad and kill trees, the old command days are gone.

planting a spruce tree 15 feet away from the line should be no problem, it's when your neighbor plants a tree directly on the line and thinks nothing of the fact that the branches will be on the neighbors land!!!!!

I loose trees and stuff in the garden from drift. I lost the entire garden one year. I can smell the spry from inside my house while they fog the fields around me. I have talked to the farmer and he say turn it into my insurance and walks off. He likes to spray. He could care less and just sees my tree rows as something else to farm around. I have 20 acres and the garden is close to the house. The house sits centered east and west and about 100 feet from the south border. I would guess the closest crop is 120 feet from the garden. The spray seems hardest on crab apple trees and the garden. So I say drift can be a problem.

My understanding is that if I spray something I am responsible for any negative effects caused by drift

Technology today makes sprayers way more efficient.
If I was spraying I would want the product to get on what I wanted it too, not drift off and cause me to have to use more and increase my cost

I don't farm but I have been around some, a few that were multi million dollar operations.

I would not plant trees that would extend over the property line with their canopy myself but you own every inch of land that you own and should be able to plant a tree anywhere on it

I lease my fields out to a local farmer and have no issues. There are either planted pines or planted hard mast trees in my foodplots that I've cut off from the existing fields along all of the field edges. At most I've seen 2-4' of 'overspray' from where the field would stop. In a couple of the foodplots, I've planted Cave-N-Rock switchgrass right up to the line between the field and the plot and haven't had any issues. I am more concerned when I spray with my 55 gallon boom sprayer than when he brings out the big stuff.

We also have a relationship in which he doesn't want to lose my lease.

Call the farmer and tell him what you’re doing and you’d appreciate it if he watched out for them.

Ask about Dicamba herbicide on beans. Most are very quiet about that. And yes it is only supposed to be applied morning or evening here but some could care less. And yes more and more farmers think their property extends beyond their property line.

No
Never heard of a farmer spraying large amounts of a woody type vegetarian herbicide into a already established field.

I live in Iowa. I used to be a certified pesticide applicator in my previous life. The laws in Iowa are pretty simple and easy to understand. - If you drift, you are responsible. That makes it very simple when it comes to deciding if you are going to spray that field.

It’s the applicator that is responsible for the application of the herbicide and they know it. Strict guidelines control when and how to apply. They pay the fines. It’s an effective reminder.

I lost a peach tree and had another one badly damaged, just off of the right away, when an airplane sprayed the field across the street.

Keith

ALE,
Not if it will drift, but how far.

I do coffee with some farmers and they tell me stories that you wouldn't believe on how far they have seen drift damage from the original application point.

I doubt it. I grow tomato's like that and they are more sensitive than trees. Some years I get hit though. The problem I have is they call the chemical place to spray, the farmer doesn't do it, and then who knows what yahoo is in the spray truck.

They don't make money by having a lot of spray being carried away by the wind though, chemicals are expensive. They put a lot of thought into the spray pattern, nozzle, pressure and such.

Last year I wanted to be upset bc they sprayed right up against my garden with like no buffer at all but I can't blame them for that. I lost a couple of plants but it really wasn't any big deal.

I surely wouldn't worry about trees, especially after seeing how close they got to my matters.

Personally I wouldn't worry about it unless you have some known super sensitive special tree of some kind.

They are spraying for like broad leaf weeds, not fence rows with trees and shrubs when they are spraying the field so the concentration is light compared to what you need to take trees out but I'm sure it can happen.

They lost some new red pine but I think it was due to drought. What got me thinking more was when a ~6' tall oak tree mysteriously died. Things happen & many things can lead to a trees death (w/ the cause not always known). They had a couple white spruce turn yellowish directly south of a powerline Right Of Way on their property--possibly a drift injury). This year we are thinking of bur oak--they do well in poor soil & is something they want to add to their property--and the area adjacent to the field is 1 area on the property that is relatively open (bur oak need good sun). Good advice so far, thanks.

We haven't quite decided on a species yet. 'Probsbly will try a mix of red pine, bur oak & white or norway spruce

If your DumbA farmer sprays and your trees are damaged take him to court for any damages you feel you may have incurred. You should be able to live on your property without the infringement of others. When your neighbors spray (regardless of what they spray) your crops and you should not have to suffer the consequences. It is their responsibility to spray when it will not effect their neighbors.

Take it from someone that has collected damages from farmers that have sprayed their fields with no concern for my garden produce. Twice I have collected damages and am getting ready to go to court to collect again.

I don't think they have ever had a problem with the farm in question, but were just planning ahead b/c drift could be a possibility.

I like this guy.....

I worked at Coop for 6 years. 2-4-D will drift and little vegetable gardens can cost an applicator alot of money.

My understanding of the law was that if the applicator followed all of the regulations regarding spraying they were exempt from overspray. Is there any truth to that?

The applicator is responsible for all drift /,, If it kills the neighbors stuff applicator is responsible for all damage ,, most applicators have enough respect to spray with a light breeze going away from problems ,,,, Drift can get expensive fast apple trees planted high density could easily cost over $5000.00 acre the day they are planted ,, damage them 3 years later the court costs could easily include not only physical trees ,, plus all labor and expenses but all expected returns from the life of the trees ,, most guys carry spray liability insu. but i would bet their insurance would not cover those losses ,, If the applicator has assets i would bet the right lawyer could extract alot more money than can be imagined

Our state applicator licensing says absolutely applicator responsible for all damages even if following all current laws ,,, every label i have read clearly states user is responsible for all damages arising from use of the product .................... Spray from a boom is treated the same as a bullet from a barrel the user owns the damage until the bullet falls to the ground

Thank you. My brother is having problems with aerial spraying, ill pass this along.

A friend of mine in here in Nebraska was in litigation about his farmer neighbor and over spray problem. I asked how it went because I was having a similar problem. My buddy told me I needed to register my property as a "no drift" property or something like that. The commercial applicators apparently look up the neighboring properties before spraying and take precautions accordingly. Have you heard of this Gary?

I just casually mentioned my friends situation to my neighbor and that's all it took for them to start being wayyy more cautious during spraying. Apparently they don't like farming around registered properties.

I am in the ag business and it is the responsibility of the coop,independent and private operator to be licensed and be aware of drift. There are many many regulations to avoid drift issues. Adjuvants drift control and weather conditions all play a part in responsible application. There are also ambulance chasers posting on here that are a problem.

If I had a field that all of sudden quit producing along a boundary I would pull some soil tests send to Midwest labs and if pramitol showed up you wouldn’t be able to afford to live there anymore. What a ridiculous reaction.. and the farmers are the a-holes?

Maybe you guys should move to the city,,,,,,, problem solved

I cam promise you these issues extend to town. I saw a lawn care company confuse their fertilizer and herbicide somehow, killed all the grass and trees in multiple yards.

I have not.
Generally a slight breeze is all it takes.

i have seen guys start spraying light wind no temp inversions as the day goes on acres add up ,,, got lots to cover wind increases as the Temps warm, applicator is in a cab wants to get done says go for it ,, next thing you know dicamba is 5 acres over ,,, we have to be respectful of the people around us or these products will be over regulated until no longer have them to of use

Depends on the neighbor.

I did some detailed research tonight on herbicide drift and it appears to be a more common yet complex issue than I realized

He said it was an accident. Stuff happens sometimes.

A commercial minnow trapper friend said he could smell the chemical drift while dumping traps and on the next check all the minnows were dead in the traps and the freshwater shrimp were seeking refuge out of the water on trees and logs. He said he could have scooped off the logs buckets and buckets of shrimp. This was in ottertail county minnesota.

So blackoak, you put pramitol in the neighboring field that you do not own?! You get caught and will likely have a lawsuit on your hands. Coward action.

To the OP, communication is key. Call the farmer or swing by his place, tell him what you’re doing. He will take caution when spraying that field, and most likely you’ll be fine.

Good points Jo

There might be some wildlife shrubs that can be put between fields & trees.

Update: this study showed up in the news today

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/scie...fting-herbicides-are-to-blame-180987817/

Somebody previously mentioned switchgrass as a barrier. That’s an interesting thought, given that switchgrass is incredibly tolerant of herbicide once established. If it’s an option, it could serve as a drift barrier between the field and trees/shrubs you’re wanting to plant.

AJE you need to register at driftwatch.org

As previously mentioned it is the responsibility of the applicator to prevent drift
The type of tree is a huge factor. Osage orange and eastern red cedar seem to be immune. When we bought our property 4 years ago we planted 6 apple trees 30 yards from the line. There’s Osage and cedar in the line so I didn’t think about there being a problem. The apples did great until the neighbor sprayed. Then the leaves shriveled from chemical burn and fell off. All the apples died. They went from thriving to dead in a week or two.

I hadn’t met that neighbor yet and didn’t want to start things out like that so we didn’t complain. But from a legal perspective I could have made him buy the trees


We waited a couple years and replanted apples near the center of the property. Apple is fragile so that’s our best chance.

I found driftwatch to self report fragile plants so I registered my apples. Applicators are responsible for their drift and are supposed to check. I didn’t know if registration would help but apparently it did. Last year was wet so more farmers were paying for spraying by plane since they couldn’t get tractors into their fields at the times they needed to spray. The neighbor did too. Apparently the plane duster checks driftwatch. . When I finally met the neighbor a couple months ago he was asking about my “apple orchard “ I have back there. Said he didn’t know anything about it but the crop duster said I’m growing apple trees and he wouldn’t spray close to the property line.

Dicamba is pretty much gone.

Professionals wont spray there unless the wind is right.

If an accident occurs they will pay for damages.

Everyone's garden in my county would be considered "next to an ag field", let alone trees.

Depends on what you are trying to grow, what they are spraying, and how careful they are, three pretty big factors that aren't equal for everyone.

This type of research has been done by states for decades. Carryover causes fish kills, causes decertification of organic farms, etc