Bayer Backs New AGDISP Model to Improve Pesticide Safety
Bayer Crop Science has joined an industry-led effort to modernize AGDISP (Agricultural DISpersion), a pesticide spray drift model originally created by the U.S. Forest Service in the 1980s.
The model is widely used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and regulators around the world to evaluate potential spray drift and off-target pesticide deposition during liquid pesticide applications. These assessments help determine appropriate application methods and label requirements for pesticide products.
The modernization project aims to update AGDISP using modern computing technologies while allowing the integration of emerging environmental stewardship tools and precision agriculture practices. By improving the model’s technical capabilities, regulators will be able to more accurately analyze spray drift under a range of environmental conditions and real-world scenarios.
An updated AGDISP model will better account for site-specific factors such as weather, terrain, and application techniques. It will also help support drift-reduction strategies and enable more detailed scenario-based evaluations. These improvements could allow regulators to more accurately estimate spray drift when conducting ecological and human health risk assessments.
The enhanced model may also help recognize the benefits of new application technologies designed to reduce drift. In turn, this could encourage pesticide label requirements that better reflect real-world farming practices while promoting responsible pesticide use.
Farmers who adopt advanced application tools and precision technologies may benefit from improved guidance that balances crop protection with environmental and human safety.
The modernization effort is being coordinated by the AGDISP Modernization Project (AMP), an initiative established by the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA).
The project brings together a broad stakeholder committee that includes grower organizations, university researchers, application technology specialists, federal agency representatives, and pesticide manufacturers.
National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) has committed $600,000 over five years to complete the update, with $520,000 has been secured through contributions from multiple organizations. These include a $50,000 donation from Bayer, $30,000 from the National Corn Growers Association, $35,000 from the Cotton Foundation, and $55,000 from the National Agricultural Aviation Research and Education Foundation.
Additional support includes a five-year $250,000 grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the American Mosquito Control Association, along with $100,000 provided directly by the National Agricultural Aviation Association.
To learn more about the AGDISP Modernization Project and discover how you can support its final stages, click here.
Photo Credit: bayer