**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** PESTICIDE APPLICATION IS A FEDERALLY REGULATED AND RESTRICTED PRACTICE PRIMARILY USED WITHIN PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE. REGULATIONS ARE ENFORCED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA), WHICH REQUIRES PROPER DOCUMENTATION OF ALL PESTICIDE USE APPLICATIONS. IN ADDITION, THE EPA REQUIRES ACCESSIBILITY TO APPLICATION INFORMATION FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS AT RISK OF PESTICIDE EXPOSURE ON THE SPECIFIC FARM WHICH THE PESTICIDES WERE APPLIED. THE CURRENT SYSTEMS FOR DOCUMENTING PESTICIDE APPLICATIONS ARE ANTIQUATED, REDUNDANT, AND A HINDERANCE TO TIME EFFICIENCY FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS, PRODUCTION MANAGERS AND PESTICIDE APPLICATORS. WHEN COMBINED WITH PESTICIDE TOXICITY LEVELS WE HAVE A SYSTEM FULL OF AREAS THAT ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO EXCESSIVE ERROR RISKS AND CAN PROVE COSTLY TO WORKERS SAFETY. THIS ISSUE MAY BE SOLVED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FARM MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (FMIS), UTILIZING MOBILE APP TECHNOLOGIES ALONG WITH NEAR REAL-TIME AGRICULTURAL DATA CONNECTIVITY, THAT IS DEDICATED TO DOCUMENTING, DISPLAYING, AND REPORTING PESTICIDE APPLICATION USE. THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW SYSTEM THAT UTILIZES THE ADVANCES SEEN WITHIN PRECISION AGRICULTURE OVER THE LAST DECADE, WE STAND TO REMOVE A CURRENT SYSTEM THAT RELIES HEAVILY UPON PERSONNEL COMMUNICATION. THIS NOT ONLY DECREASES THE CURRENT HUMAN ERROR FACTOR, BUT PROVIDES THE NECESSARY INFORMATION FOR WORKER SAFETY IN A SIGNIFICANTLY TIMELIER FASHION, AND REDUCES THE PESTICIDE EXPOSURE RISK OUR AGRICULTURAL WORKERS CURRENTLY FACE DAILY.
$248,253FY2021National Institute of Food and AgricultureUSDA
Board Of Regents Of The University Of Nebraska