The concern about spray drift onto specialty crops and honeybees revs up as another crop season approaches. A free registry system available online can help specialty growers alert potential pesticide applicators about where their crop fields are located.

“We urge growers of specialty crops, beekeepers and farmers to take advantage of this service,” says Sarah Hanson, Purdue University Extension educator in Johnson County, Ind. “It’s free, and you can do it online.”

Here are several key points about the program:

Hemp fields. If you’re growing hemp, you can register the fields in the FieldWatch system. There’s a category for industrial hemp.

Multiple registries. FieldWatch is the overall umbrella for the program. Find it online at fieldwatch.com. If you’re a specialty crop producer, you can register your fields in DriftWatch. Beekeepers may register locations of hives in BeeCheck. Commercial growers can sign in under CropCheck, and commercial applicators can register under FieldCheck. You can access all registries from the FieldWatch website.

Who can sign up. Registries are for commercial crop and specialty crop producers, Hanson says. The system is not intended to be used by home gardeners or those with less than half an acre of specialty crops. Anyone can view maps, but registrations must be approved by a person designated as the data steward in each state.  

Available apps. There is an app for both BeeCheck and FieldCheck for both Android and Apple smartphones. Check under “Resources” on the FieldWatch homepage to find information about these apps.

Voluntary registration. No one is required to register and map location of their fields, experts say. This is a voluntary service. Likewise, commercial pesticide applicators can view registered specialty fields without signing up in FieldCheck. If you sign up, you can request alerts whenever a new specialty crop or honeybee location is registered in your area.

Multiple states. The service is now available in more than 20 states. Each state data steward has final approval on sites listed in their states. For example, some states allow hobby beekeepers to register their locations in BeeCheck, while other states do not.