Queensland and New South Wales grain growers and spray operators now have access to up-to-date resources to help ensure their spray systems are operating to their full potential and in accordance with regulations.
Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Senior Manager Biosecurity and Regulation, Ken Young said a range of resources were now available on the GRDC Spray Drift web page to support growers and spray operators with the very latest best practice advice and guidance:
"Spray application is an integral activity in grain operations and one that requires careful planning, preparation and implementation," Mr Young said.
"The update GRDC Spray Drift web page offers guidelines about how to mitigate spray drift risk, weather implications in spray application, nozzle selection, application and equipment, and State and Territory-regulatory contacts.
"It also has information about how to comply with instructions recently implemented by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), which changes the application requirements of 2,4-D herbicides."
The APVMA has suspended the labels of all products containing the active ingredient 2,4-D, replacing them with a permit. The permit will stay in place until the conclusion of a current 2,4-D review.
Under the permit, there are changes to the 'directions for use' for 2,4-D including: changes to application technique, spray quality and the observance of mandatory no-spray buffer zones, as well as increased requirements for detailed record-keeping.
Revised and recently developed GRDC resources available on the web page include:
- GRDC Spray Application Manual
- Fact Sheet: Maintaining Efficacy with Larger Droplets - New 2,4-D Application Requirements
- Fact Sheet: Pulse Width Nodulation: Nozzle Selection Guide
- Fact Sheet: Spray Water Quality
- Fact Sheet: Spraying Efficiency
- And the latest Nozzle Selection Guide.
The web page also includes a six-part GRDC Spray Application video series, featuring spray specialist Bill Gordon, discussing a range of topics including:
- 2,4-D label changes
- A spray contractor's experience managing spray drift
- Maximising spray coverage
- Maximising spray efficiency
- Nozzle selection for larger droplets
- Weather conditions and the 2,4-D label.
Other industry resources with information about the new APVMA instructions and how to mitigate spray drift risk are available at:
