A bill supported by specialty crop and organic growers and beekeepers as well as conventional growers was defeated in the South Dakota House Ag Committee. HB 1202 would have required limited financial responsibility in the form of a surety bond or insurance by commercial pesticide applicators for property damage in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars. Specialty Producers Board member Jeff Stewart says its disappointing HB 1202 failed as many other states have the protections called for in this bill.

He says pesticide drift has caused enough damage in South Dakota to drive some producers out of state or out of business entirely.

Stewart says their next step is to keep talking to the State Department of Agriculture to find a solution to the drift problem. He says another bill that didn’t get approved would have changed language in the state law to require the Ag Department to release more information on drift damage.

Stewart says it’s unfortunate that without HB 1202 in effect, South Dakota has become a sanctuary state for commercial pesticide applicators without financial responsibility or insurance for bodily injury or property damage. Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and six other states have this law in effect.