Producers of sensitive and specialty crops, including fruit, vegetables and organic crops, as well as producers of conventional (not tolerant to herbicides) row crops, use DriftWatch to map their crops. After incorporating conventional row crops into DriftWatch, the use of the former CropCheck registry has been discontinued.
Producers of sensitive and specialty crops, including fruit, vegetables and organic crops, as well as producers of conventional (not tolerant to herbicides) row crops, use DriftWatch to map their crops. After incorporating conventional row crops into DriftWatch, the use of the former CropCheck registry has been discontinued.
Better Together
FieldWatch enables transparency and promotes sustainability across the agriculture value chain by reducing the impact on pollinators, non-target plants and people from unintended pesticide drift and empowering improved decision-making.
Register today by clicking on the respective registry icon above or download the apps for iOS and Android from the Apple Store and the Google Play Store.
For Producers
DriftWatch is a voluntary and free registry that allows for improved communication and collaboration between producers of specialty, organic and conventional (not tolerant to herbicides) row crops and pesticide applicators. Producers can map their sites and provide contact information to pesticide applicators. The registry makes it possible to map vegetables, grapes, nurseries, tobacco, industrial hemp, herbs, greenhouses, orchards, tree crops, flowers, as well as conventional soybean and corn. Pesticide applicators access the site to help determine the scope and location of specialty crops in their trade areas. Registered applicators can also sign up to receive email notifications when new specialty crop fields are added to their designated state, county or areas. As a primary stakeholder, state departments of agriculture in the states where FieldWatch has a presence provide a key leadership role in implementing, administering and financially supporting this unique and effective stewardship collaboration tool.
DriftWatch is used by more than 35,000 crop producers.
“I feel DriftWatch is a great tool. I’m very fortunate for it as it likely saved our orchard.”
Producer FAQs
DriftWatch is free and voluntary to use. The locations are viewable by the public, but not just anyone can register specialty crop sites or fields. Only managers and owners of specialty crop fields that are used for commercial production and are of at least a half-acre will have fields approved by the state data steward. DriftWatch is not intended for homeowners.
Each FieldWatch state or area has a primary data steward and in all states to date, that person is employed with the state’s department of agriculture. These data stewards provide a key leadership role in implementing and administering the FieldWatch tool. When you register with FieldWatch, your state data steward will receive your request. He or she will either approve or deny this request based on the criteria for becoming a user. If problems arise while using the registry, your state data steward can offer assistance or direct you to someone who can answer your question.
Yes! All registries are free to use and free for applicators to access. FieldWatch has implemented a voluntary membership structure as a means of raising funds to support the operation and continued innovation of our tools.
If you don’t have a computer or are unsure of how to operate the FieldWatch website, please contact your state’s data steward who will be able to offer assistance in creating an account and mapping your fields.
To become a FieldWatch user, it is convenient to have an active and current email address. We understand that some users may not have an active email account. In these cases, communications can be made through the user’s phone number or address. Please contact your state data steward for more information.
There are state-specific data stewards identified on the FieldWatch website. If you have trouble with mapping your fields, you may contact your state’s data steward and they can help you. You can also send an email to info@fieldwatch.com.
No. To map a specialty crop site and get it approved in DriftWatch, you must be producing the crop for commercial use and have a commercial site that is at least a half-acre. The site is not intended for homeowners who have small gardens.
The “Active Dates” feature, which appears when you are registering a site, makes it easy to put a time stamp on your crop field. If you know your field will no longer be active in that area after a certain date, you can select an expiration date for the site. You can also select a specific start/activation date. You are always able to edit these dates by selecting “make changes to this site” from the information box of your site when logged in.
The crop type category includes the most relevant specialty crops grown in each state. The “fruits” and “vegetables” categories are broad enough to cover a wide range of specialty crops. If you need to identify a crop that is not in the drop-down menu, please select “other” and provide the crop information in the “additional notes” section. Please provide ample detail so your data steward will be able to approve the crops submission.
Yes. The DriftWatch Specialty Crop Site is intended for specialty crops and for conventional (not tolerant to herbicides) crops. Specialty crops can be identified as “organically grown,” “certified organic” or “conventional.”
No. The purpose of FieldWatch and our free mapping tools is to promote communication and awareness between crop growers, beekeepers and pesticide applicators to reduce incidences of off-target exposure. We encourage growers and applicators to continue a personal dialogue so that concerns can be reduced. We also encourage you to look at your state’s pesticide regulatory agency for more information on the agricultural policies in place in your area. The National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) is a helpful tool that provides resources by state. Another is the Association of American Pesticide Control Officials (AAPCO) for similar resources.
For Beekeepers
BeeCheck is a voluntary and free online beehive/apiary registry and mapping tool that allows for improved communication and collaboration between beekeepers and pesticide applicators. Both commercial and hobby beekeepers register and map their sites and provide contact information to applicators through an online mapping system. Before spraying, pesticide applicators access the site to help determine the scope and location of beehives to effectively manage drift effects. As a primary stakeholder, state departments of agriculture, in the states where FieldWatch has a presence, provide a key leadership role in implementing, administering and financially supporting this unique and effective stewardship collaboration tool. Currently, over 36,000 beekeepers with over 528,000 beehives are registered with FieldWatch.
“I was actually contacted by an arial sprayer the evening before they sprayed! It was great! I brought them a jar of honey to show my appreciation.”
Beekeeper FAQs
BeeCheck users can be commercial beekeepers or hobbyists. In most states, beekeepers are allowed to mark their hives “private” so that only pesticide applicators who are registered with FieldWatch can view their sites (not the public).
BeeCheck is free and the site locations are viewable by the public. Beehives can also be marked “private” and only be identified by pesticide applicators registered with FieldWatch.
If you don’t have a computer or are unsure of how to operate the FieldWatch website, please contact your state’s data steward who will be able to offer assistance in creating an account and mapping your fields.
We understand that some users may not have an active email account. In these cases, communications can be made through the user’s phone number or address. Please connect with your data steward for more information.
Contact your state-specific data steward. You can find your data steward on the Join FieldWatch page. You can also send an email to info@fieldwatch.com.
For BeeCheck, in most states, you can use the site if you are a commercial or hobby beekeeper.
Each state is different on how they address hobby beekeepers. Most states will approve apiaries that do not produce for commercial purposes. If you are a hobby beekeeper and are concerned with getting your sites approved, contact your state’s data steward.
We ask that beekeepers map the specific location of each of their apiaries. Apiary locations are identified with a half-acre circle. If beekeepers wish to include the foraging area, they must limit that area to their own property (they can click on “add a crop” while in BeeCheck). Areas that expand further than the hive’s location and/or the beekeeper’s property may not be approved. If a beekeeper has multiple hives, they may designate the number of hives during registration. If beehives are in close proximity to each other, it is ok to map them together and indicate the number of hives in the notes section.
The “Active Dates” feature, which appears when you are registering a site, makes it easy to put a time stamp on your beehive. You can select an expiration date for the site if you know your hive will no longer be active in that area after a certain date. If you know your hive will not be active until a certain date, you can also select a specific start/activation date. You may always go back and modify these dates (and other features) by selecting “make changes to this site” from the information box of your site when logged in.
No. Our mission is to promote communication and awareness between beekeepers and pesticide applicators to reduce incidences of off-target exposure. We encourage beekeepers and applicators to continue a personal dialogue to stay true to our mission. You can find your state’s pesticide regulatory agency for more information on the agricultural policies in place in your area.
Get the App
For Seed Companies
SeedFieldCheck addresses the industry’s challenge of providing broad and efficient communication to pesticide applicators to accurately describe where and when field workers will be or are present in seed production fields. Launched as a pilot program in the state of Iowa during the 2020 growing season, SeedFieldCheck is now available in eight states, where corn seed production is concentrated. Currently, there are over 425,000 acres registered with SeedFieldCheck.
Seed Company FAQs
Seed companies work directly with FieldWatch to upload seed field sites and team leaders who operate as “data stewards” to ensure accuracy.
Pesticide applicators must be registered in FieldCheck to view SeedFieldCheck worker locations. FieldCheck is the mobile and computer portal created by FieldWatch for use by applicators.
Seed companies should maintain their field status daily.
For Applicators
FieldCheck is a critical tool for pesticide applicators. Applicators can visit the FieldCheck map before spraying to locate areas identified for sensitivity to improve decision-making and avoid damage from spray drift. Pesticide applicators in agriculture (ground and aerial) and outside agriculture (vegetation management for right-of-way and invasive species, mosquito control, vegetation management, turf and ornamental grass) can find value from using FieldCheck. In addition to accessing a reliable, free mapping tool with clearly identified crop, apiary and field worker locations, applicators receive alerts when new and modified sites are added to the registry. FieldCheck is free and can be accessed via desktop or mobile app. Currently, over 13,000 pesticide applicators use FieldCheck.
“I really appreciate FieldWatch as a tool to prevent drift and damage to nearby properties that are registered. I call EVERY beekeeper within 2 miles of an application and give them at least 24 hours’ notice in case they may want to pen the bees up the night before the application.”
Applicator FAQs
No. FieldCheck is voluntary and publicly available. Applicators just need to access the map from the home page and zoom into the area in which they are interested to see the registered crop and apiary sites and field worker locations that have been submitted and approved. However, there are benefits to registering and it’s simple and FREE!
Registered applicators can identify the state, counties or area within a state in which they want to receive automated email notifications for each new specialty crop or apiary site that is approved in their area. The identified area is known as your “alert area.” In addition, in most states, beekeepers have the ability to mark their hives as “private,” which means only registered applicators (registered in FieldWatch) can view those sites. If you are only accessing the “public” site and are not registered, you may not see all beehives in most states.
No. “Pesticide product labels set the standard of care,” according to legal opinion sought by FieldWatch. FIFRA (Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act) mandates that applicators must use the products in accordance with the instructions on their labels. FieldWatch is another tool/data point for applicators to use to make informed decisions in the course of their work.
No. According to the legal opinion provided to FieldWatch, “So long as an applicator follows label directions for measures related to avoiding drift, as well as any statutes or regulations related to avoiding drift, an applicators failure to use FieldWatch should not be stand-alone basis to establish a claim for negligence or gross negligence.” As an informational tool, FieldWatch may help an applicator make a more informed decision, and therefore, avoid a drift incident, reduce claims and overall liability. However, the liability related to any single incident remains the same.
No. Based on prevailing case law, legal opinion provided to FieldWatch suggests there is not a “higher standard of care beyond a duty of care framed by a pesticide’s label instructions and statutes/regulations related to drift avoidance.” Save
No. It is the responsibility of the applicator to avoid drift; and the liability associated with any incidence is the same whether or not FieldWatch is used. However, “an applicator may effectively argue its use prior to application is evidence, as part of broader evidentiary showing of due care… that the applicator met the standard of care,” and was not negligent by having used information at his/her disposal to make a proper application.
Get the App
