To the editor:

I read with interest Sunday’s article describing herbicide drift damage to local vineyards. I also grow sensitive and organic specialty crops: chestnuts and Christmas trees. I fear that chemical drift from my neighbors may one day jeopardize my organic certificate or wipe out my 10-year-old trees.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture has a registry of sensitive (including organic) crops. See: www.ks-agr.org/ pesticide/crops/crops.asp, or contact Gary Meyer, Program Manager, 109 SW Ninth, Topeka 66612, (785) 296-3786. My organic orchard is registered there, but still I get no respect. Spray rigs run the neighbors farms whenever convenient to them, regardless of wind. The highway crews are just as oblivious. Last week their spray left dead spots not 20 feet in front of my “Organic Crops, Do Not Spray” sign!

Charles NovoGradac,

Lawrence