FieldWatch was designed by staff from Purdue University with the intent of helping pesticide applicators, specialty crop growers, and beekeepers communicate more effectively to protect pesticide-sensitive areas. The FieldWatch site features a Google Maps™ interface that shows applicators the locations of registered areas so they can take the appropriate precautions before they spray. It also provides contact information to encourage communications between the various parties.
FieldWatch (originally known as DriftWatch) was spun off as an independent nonprofit organization affiliated with but not formally part of Purdue University. FieldWatch is led by a CEO and is governed by an executive board. There are also groups assigned for each of major stakeholders, including an applicator stakeholder group which includes a representative for aerial applicators selected by NAAA. NAAA has long supported FieldWatch had been heavily involved in its development and expansion.
Registries within FieldWatch®
FieldWatch is the name of the overall organization and is composed of the following individual registries:
- BeeCheck® is a registry specific to apiaries where beekeepers can register and map their apiaries
- DriftWatch is where commercial specialty crop producers can register and map the locations of their specialty crops.
- CropCheck™ is a pilot program to map row crops in states that have volunteered to participate.
- SeedFieldCheck is a pilot program where seed companies and pesticide applicators can communicate about the location of fields where workers are present. It is available in a smaller subset of eight participating states where corn seed production is concentrated: IA, IN, IL, MI, MN, OH, WI and NE
- Fieldcheck is the tool applicators use to locate areas sensitive areas identified on the other FieldWatch registries to improve decision-making and avoid damage from spray drift.
- FieldWatch is currently used by:
- 28 states: AR, CA, CO, DE, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NC, NJ, NM, OH, PA, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WI, WV (and Washington D.C.)
- 3 Canadian provinces: SK, MB, AB
- During the winter of 2019/2020, FieldWatch added industrial hemp to their Registry
- In 2024, NAAA CEO Andrew Moore began serving as the aerial application stakeholder on the FieldWatch Board of Directors.
- FieldWatch statistics are as follow:
| Date | Applicators | Producers | Fields | Acres | Apiaries | Beehives |
| 1/1/2023 | 13021 | 36457 | 22867 | 1940520 | 45502 | 547989 |
| 1/1/2024 | 14355 | 39837 | 27629 | 2795687 | 61016 | 575386 |
| 1/1/2025 | 15813 | 43869 | 21950 | 4081423 | 48826 | 596486 |
| 1/1/2026 | 16808 | 47824 | 19836 | 1722963 | 33073 | 597184 |
Recent Updates
In 2026 NAAA Director of Policy, Education and Safety began serving as the aerial application stakeholder on the FieldWatch Board of Directors. The board is considering adding wind farms to FieldWatch.