Despite 'no spray' list, Rogers County flower farmer claims business was hit by herbicide

$5,000 in Damages

A flower farmer from Inola, Shelby Walton, is frustrated after she says $5,000 worth of crops were destroyed by what she believes is county herbicide. Walton says her land was affected twice, but she says it isn't supposed to be treated because it's on the no-spray list. 

“I’ve registered with the county, being on the no-spray list. I’ve also registered with the third-party company Shuterra that they have hired to also be on the no-spray list. I’m also on a sensitive crop registry, so all of these aspects mean that if our county hires Shuterra to spray, I should not be getting sprayed - the ditches in front of my property," Walton said. 

What Officials are Saying

The vegetation company that's contracted with the county, Shuterra, says they made a mistake and didn't add Walton's land to their internal no-spray list. District 3 Rogers County Commissioner Ron Burrows says he doesn't know if the chemicals that killed Walton's plants are the same chemicals that Shuterra sprayed in the ditch. Now, he says the county is investigating whether or not the herbicide Shuterra sprayed near her land is to blame, or if something else killed them. 

A Hit to her Livelihood

Walton says her flower business, Country Beauty Farms, sells to local florists and also does its own arrangements. She says this is a massive blow and a big setback, as peonies take up to three years to be ready to cut. She says nearly 20% of her plants are completely dead, and 80% are affected. 

“The reckless spraying that has happened and that’s been ignored, it has affected my livelihood and source of income for my family,” she said.