Affected sugar beet acreage is more than double the area that was sprayed after the fire, with the tally now about 38,000 acres -- well up from the 10,000-acre estimate of last week.

"This is the first set of results we have received from samples taken last week," said Bob Spencer, agrochemical specialist with the Idaho State Department of Agriculture. "We will expand the soil sampling to a radius of 1 to 5 miles and beyond if necessary."

The result, obtained from tests conducted by Montana State University, indicate a range of levels of Oust in the soils from 0.079 parts per billion (ppb) to 24 ppb, while the lowest level that can be detected is 0.05 ppb. The samples were taken from areas that appear to have the most severe damage and subject to drought-induced soil erosion, according to the ISDA.

The announcement by the Department of Agriculture confirmed what a group of farmers had surmised, said Dan Schaeffer of Hazleton, spokesman for the group of farmers whose crops have been damaged.

Crops are showing anywhere from dead to moderate damage, he said, and that will take a toll on yields.

John Schorr, Amalgamated Sugar Company's ag manager at the Paul factory, said it's too early to tell exactly how much tonnage will be lost

"We haven't put a number to it," he said. But "every time we don't get a beet processed we don't have sugar to sell."

Tonnage loss out of the field is not the only consideration. Use of the affected sugar beets in processing is also something to think about.

"We have been told that in the process of producing sugar there is no chance of it carrying over into the food chain," said John Schorr, Amalgamated Sugar Company's ag manager at the Paul factory.

But if some of the crop is partially contaminated it may mean destroying it, he said, adding that farmers want to do everything possible to ensure food safety from the crops they produce.

"Idaho is known for safe crops," Schorr said. "We want to maintain that."

Compensation for damages is another issue that will no doubt take precedence as the season unfolds.

About 17,000 of the affected sugar beet acres are in the Aberdeen-American Falls area and the rest is in Minidoka County and east Jerome County, Schaeffer said. In addition, some corn and grain fields were also damaged. Farmers will know later if potatoes were damaged. Hay does not appear to be damaged because roots are deep.

Some of the Aberdeen-American Falls damage appears to have originated from Minidoka County dust storms, he said, adding that drought conditions are to blame for the loose dirt that is spreading the herbicide. With no vegetation or moisture to hold it in place, the soil was more subject to erosion this winter than in the past.

Leonard Kerbs, Amalgamated's ag manager for the Twin Falls District, said this has been one of the windiest years on record.

But wind may not be the only factor involved in crop damage. The BLM is also gathering data as to which chemicals farmers used and is checking a number of other factors, said David Howell, spokesman for BLM.

While the BLM and Dupont are conducting investigations, Amalgamated is also gathering material, Schorr said.

"Our field staff are looking at every field and evaluating," Schorr said. "We are making sure we get all the data."

If the damage is caused by the wind the problem would be considered an act of God and farmers would not be held responsible to met their contract quota, Schorr said.

One way or another, "there would be a need for compensation from whoever caused the problem," he said.

But it is too early to tell what the outcome will be.

"It's devastating, especially in the economy we've got," Schaeffer said.

BLM officials, Dupont personnel, and Idaho congressmen have been attending meetings with farmers, Schaeffer said. He is pleased that those involved are working well with the farmers.

"Everybody is talking," Howell said. "Farmers have been great to work with."

Within a couple more weeks, testing should be completed and BLM officials will decide if compensation is warranted, Howell said.

"We're having that conversation," he said. "That (a decision) will be something that comes down the road."

BLM officials have not ruled out the possibility that strong winds could have been responsible for spreading the herbicide to the now affected fields.

"That is one of the things we're taking a look at," Howell said.

In the meantime BLM has discontinued the use of Oust.