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SOUTH DAKOTA
UNUSABLE PESTICIES COLLECTION PROGRAM, 1997

April 1997

A sample of South Dakota's farmers and ranchers surveyed in early 1997 indicated that 73 percent of the state's producers were familiar with the Unusable Pesticide Collection Program administered by the South Dakota Department of Agriculture. Statewide, using the 1992 Census as a base, this would indicate 9,294 producers are unaware of the program. Regionally, within the state, there was little difference in familiarity with the program.

The survey showed that 1 in 20 producers had unusable pesticides on hand. Again, using Census data as a base, this translates to 1,931 producers, statewide, who could benefit from this program. Of this number, 33 percent had some dry chemical and 82 percent some liquid. Dry quantity on hand ranged from 1 to 250 pounds, with an average of 33 pounds. This would expand to a state total of 20,747 pounds of unusable dry pesticides. Liquid quantity on hand ranged from 1 to 80 gallons, with an average of 6 gallons. This would expand to a state total of 9,538 gallons.

Those with unusable pesticides reported they were willing to travel an average of 30 miles to an official collection
site. The longest distance any producer was willing to travel to a site was 100 miles, while the shortest was 2 miles. August and October proved to be the months most popular to deliver pesticides with each having 10 percent of the votes. However, 22 percent of the respondents had no preference.

This report is the result of a February telephone survey by USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. The survey results are based on a random sample of 3,822 South Dakota farming and ranching operations across all counties. It was conducted to evaluate the familiarity with the Unusable Pesticide Collection Program, the quantity of unusable pesticide on hand, the distance producers were willing to travel to a collection site and the preferred month for delivery. Data was aggregated to the district and state levels.

The survey was requested by the South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA) which provided supporting funds.

South Dakota County Map showing Growers familiar with unusable pesticides as a percent



PRODUCER FAMILIARITY AND UNUSABLE PESTICIDES, SOUTH DAKOTA, 1997 1/
District Number
of Farms 		Producers Familiar with Unusable Pesticide Collection Program Unusable Pesticides
Have Any Dry Liquid
1992
Census 		Reporting Pct. Expanded
Number 		Pct. Exp.
No. 		Pct.
2/ 		Quantity (Pounds) Pct.
2/ 		Quantity (Gallons)
Range Average Exp.
Total 		Range Average Exp.
Total
Min. Max. Min. Max.
Northwest 2,495 531 67 1,682 5 132 18 2 15 6 141 86 1 80 8 905
North Central 4,138 389 74 3,042 4 182 53 1 25 9 867 82 1 40 11 1,649
Northeast 5,126 396 76 3,870 7 350 26 1 100 41 3,720 85 1 20 5 1,491
West Central 2,565 489 70 1,799 5 116 32 1 50 13 480 86 1 60 9 902
Central 3,355 462 73 2,447 6 189 42 2 200 39 3,119 92 1 15 4 698
East Central 6,314 498 82 5,160 7 425 36 1 125 34 5,255 70 1 25 8 2,370
Southwest 1,096 320 60 661 5 52 20 3 250 101 1,050 80 1 10 3 125
South Central 2,479 315 72 1,794 5 127 25 2 100 34 1,080 81 1 25 7 722
South East 6,489 422 78 5,044 7 480 39 2 200 43 7,990 81 1 20 5 1,935
State 34,057 3,822 73 24,763 6 1,931 33 1 250 33 20,747 82 1 80 6 9,538
1/ Expanded totals may not add due to rounding. 2/ Percent of operations that reported any unusable pesticides on hand.

TRAVEL TO COLLECTION SITES, SOUTH DAKOTA, 1997

District Miles Willing to Travel
to Collection Site 		Most Convenient Month to Deliver 1/
Range Reported Average Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Any
Time
Min. Max.
- - - Miles - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Percent - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Northwest 3 100 32 0 3 3 0 6 19 10 10 3 10 3 0 32
North Central 15 100 34 0 0 17 0 6 11 6 6 11 17 6 6 17
Northeast 5 50 26 7 7 7 19 0 7 7 0 7 11 0 4 22
West Central 5 90 32 0 4 4 8 15 8 8 0 8 19 8 0 19
Central 10 60 34 8 12 0 4 4 8 12 15 0 12 4 4 19
East Central 5 55 23 5 5 10 15 0 3 5 10 13 3 3 3 26
Southwest 2 90 40 0 0 6 0 0 6 0 6 0 24 6 18 35
South Central 8 60 30 11 6 6 6 6 17 0 0 11 11 0 0 28
Southeast 10 75 30 3 9 15 6 6 6 6 32 3 0 3 3 9
State 2 100 30 4 6 8 7 5 9 6 10 6 10 3 3 22
1/ Percents may not add due to rounding.


South Dakota county map showing growers that have unusable pesticides as a pecent

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