GPSA launches new spraying campaign

WITH summer spraying starting in many regions across South Australia, Grain Producers SA is stressing the importance of safe summer spraying practices to avoid spray drift.

GPSA recently launched a new campaign titled Keep Your Droplets to Yourself, to remind grain producers about the importance of responsible spray application.

Together with key industry stakeholders and experts, GPSA created a fact sheet featuring 11 tips to be aware of when spraying, including monitoring weather, leaving buffers, avoiding high spray speed, recording, reporting and more.

CEO Brad Perry said it was critical grain producers displayed strong chemical stewardship and understood how to spray safely to avoid drift.

“GPSA has previously run the Hit Your Target approach and we’ve built on and strengthened it for the Keep Your Droplets to Yourself campaign,” Mr Perry said.

“Most grain producers in SA do the right thing when it comes to spraying; however, we need the industry to be fully adherent.

“The new campaign is the first step in the grain industry in SA providing a new offensive on spray drift to ensure, as a sector, we are doing the right thing.

“The use of pesticides has had, and continues to have, a very positive impact on sust­ainable global food production and not just for agricultural

production but for the protection and restoration of our natural environment and human health.

“But to maintain the use of these important chemicals, we all need to ensure we are doing the right thing when we spray.

“Producers need to understand how to spot hazardous temperature inversions, choose the right nozzle size and what speed they should be spraying at.

“If they’re not certain, they shouldn’t be spraying and should instead be on the phone to their local agronomist.”

For more information, visit grainproducerssa.com.au/.