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GPA: TIMELY REMINDER ON SPRAY DRIFT VIGILANCE

Grain Producers Australia is urging growers to be alert, vigilant and proactive, to maintain high standards for pesticide application, and protect crops from spray drift damage.


GPA’s timely warning comes after Cotton Australia recently raised their concerns about early signs of off-target spray drift damage, with ongoing wet weather and seasonal challenges, leading to escalating weed growth.

GPA and Cotton Australia have previously joined forces to highlight important messages and shared advice, to help protect producers and industry participants. HERE


In particular, avoid spraying under ‘hazardous inversion’ conditions (most commonly occurring at night), when cold air is trapped near the ground, spray droplets can remain suspended in the air for hours, and they can subsequently travel well beyond the intended target, causing damage.


GPA’s members include growers from all major grain producing regions, where spray drift presents unique and varied local challenges – both agronomic and regulatory, in different states.


The need to remain vigilant and follow best practice standards is vitally important to GPA’s members and essential to ensuring grain producers can retain access to important crop protection products.


GPA Southern Grower Director, and RD&E Spokesperson, Andrew Weidemann, said whilst the majority of grain producers do the right thing when applying these products, according to label requirements, whilst factoring-in local weather conditions, there was no room for complacency.


“To maintain public trust and confidence in the use of these important pesticides that help eradicate weeds, and to continue producing affordable and environmentally sustainable grains, we need to ensure we’re all doing the right thing; especially when it comes to spray drift,” he said.


“Important resources are also available for growers, to support best-practice – including details on chemical use and regulatory compliance matters – in the Australian Grains Guide that provides expert information that also links with the Australian Grain Industry Code of Practice. HERE


“Education and training are also essential tools of success – including for chemical storage, application and record keeping – and these areas of our business are strongly supported by GPA.”

Mr Weidemann is also the independent Chair of the National Working Party on Pesticide Application (NWPPA) – which was established in March 2010 to conduct targeted research relating to spray drift and inform policy for registration authority and supply of agricultural chemical products, relevant to the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).


GPA Northern Region Grower Director and AgForce Grains President, Brendan Taylor, said Australian grain producers needed to ensure they were on the job, working proactively with best-practice and spray drift management strategies, to avoid causing negative consequences.


“Having a spray plan, ensuring you have the most appropriate spray nozzles in place before you start spraying, keeping a close eye on weather conditions, communicating with neighbours, and good record keeping, helps to protect you and those around you, from potential crop damage and losses,” he said.


Mr Taylor said good risk management strategies and strong stewardship practices were also vital for all producers, given regulatory authorities, in various individual states, would also likely be on high alert, due to the weather conditions igniting potential proliferation of weeds.


“We’re all responsible for maintaining these high standards in our industry, to ensure we can continue producing high quality grains – and this includes pesticide application to manage weeds, following good spray drift management practices,” he said.


“Following expert advice, especially approved label instructions for different products, and being proactive with best-practice management methods, are also essential ingredients to success; not only for producing your own crops, but protecting others.”


Cotton Australia has also promoted materials providing best practice spraying techniques, to help protect crops from spray drift damage, in key cotton producing regions.


The use of WAND towers HERE to help map and detect hazardous conditions and inversions, can help provide real time information and data, for grain producers and spray contractors – with resources supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation.


The Satacrop website can also provide valuable information about what crops might be planted in the area, especially sensitive ones. HERE


Access GRDC spray drift resources HERE

ENDS

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