Articles
IMPACTS OF EPA PROPOSED BUFFER ZONE RESTRICTIONS FOR USE OF SOIL FUMIGANTS ON FLORIDA STRAWBERRY ACREAGE AND PRODUCTION
Article number
824_41
Pages
351 – 360
Language
English
Abstract
The objective of studies reported herein were to characterize acreage and economic impacts from lost production for implementing fumigation buffer zone restrictions of 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 ft surrounding each Hillsborough County, Florida strawberry field.
These analyses used ArcGIS mapping and buffer tool software to indicate that buffer zone requirements of 2000 ft or more will virtually eliminate 100% of strawberry production in Hillsborough County, FL. In general, and using adjusted centroid values, the results for imposing buffer zones of 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 ft will cost Hillsborough County strawberry growers approximately $17.6, $37.8, $61.8, $89.3, $115.7, $187.4, $234.7, and $239.2 million dollars, respectively, by reducing available land by 7.4, 18.8, 25.8, 37.3, 48.4, 78.4, 98.1, and 100%, respectively.
These analyses show that if acceptable regulatory changes in proposed buffer zone restrictions do not occur, Florida strawberry growers will either have to move to new production sites in which buffers are not at issue, or accept significant yield penalties following use of other, less effective, pest and crop management tactics.
These analyses used ArcGIS mapping and buffer tool software to indicate that buffer zone requirements of 2000 ft or more will virtually eliminate 100% of strawberry production in Hillsborough County, FL. In general, and using adjusted centroid values, the results for imposing buffer zones of 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 ft will cost Hillsborough County strawberry growers approximately $17.6, $37.8, $61.8, $89.3, $115.7, $187.4, $234.7, and $239.2 million dollars, respectively, by reducing available land by 7.4, 18.8, 25.8, 37.3, 48.4, 78.4, 98.1, and 100%, respectively.
These analyses show that if acceptable regulatory changes in proposed buffer zone restrictions do not occur, Florida strawberry growers will either have to move to new production sites in which buffers are not at issue, or accept significant yield penalties following use of other, less effective, pest and crop management tactics.
Publication
Authors
J.W. Noling, S. Buchanon, A.W. Schumann
Keywords
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