Despite concerns of a perfect storm brought on by an eruption of weeds following heavy rains, the majority of Australia’s 1500 cotton growers are sighing with relief as the possibility of extensive and serious spray drift damage diminishes.
Sadly, not everyone has been spared the harm; the Macquarie and Lachlan Valleys have seen multiple serious cases of off-target spray drift, while the Murray and Murrumbidgee have seen minor to moderate damage.
In one farming area near Narromine in the NSW Central West, there have been several reports of damage with one coƩon grower potenƟally suffering more than half a million dollars in crop yield losses.
Farmer Andrew Gill used CoƩon Australia’s Snap, Send, Solve reporƟng plaƞorm to reveal that 130 hectares of his coƩon crop has sustained substanƟal off-target spray damage, with liƩle hope that the crop can be salvaged.
Andrew believes the damage has been caused by the off target spraying of a phenoxy herbicide which was applied before Christmas.
“I won’t know the real extent unƟl the plant metabolises the chemical out of its system but with the damage impacƟng at least six nodes, it represents a big loss. I’m angry and what makes it worse is that we will never know where it came from.”
CoƩon Australia policy advisor Doug McCollum said the damage is disappoinƟng but overall, the lack of substanƟal damage across the coƩon growing regions indicate most people are doing the right thing.
“It is encouraging that most people are spraying according to the label and using best-pracƟce spraying techniques.
“Everyone who applies agricultural chemicals must be qualified to do so, and it is criƟcal that they have their equipment set up correctly and that they only spray when condiƟons are right. The coƩon industry has been running extensive educaƟon and awareness campaigns in recent years, and we know that the majority of farmers are doing a great job as a result. Unfortunately though, we sƟll see these cases of severe damage, and the posiƟve result across the rest of the industry is cold comfort for those growers that are suffering significant damage to their crops.”
Mr McCollum said oŌen the fault is not with the professional applicators and contractors whose job it is to apply agricultural products on the ground or in aerial applicaƟons.
“It can take just take one individual, spraying without due consideraƟon of the weather paƩerns, the potenƟal for inversion layers, or the correct selecƟon of spray equipment, to destroy nearby crops, with coƩon parƟcularly sensiƟve to a range of herbicides.”
Andrew Gill believes spray driŌ impacts on all in agriculture, with a united approach needed to solve the problem.
“I’m hosƟng a meeƟng on my farm so every stakeholder from agronomists, farmers, suppliers and contractors can see the damage on my property first-hand, and discuss how collecƟvely and individually we can stop this happening again.”
Coton Australia urges farmers to map their acƟviƟes on SataCrop, a mapping tool informing all stakeholders of the locaƟon of potenƟally sensiƟve crops, and use WAND towers, a powerful tool that can quickly detect hazardous condiƟons and inversions, enabling growers and spray contractors to spray according to the best condiƟons and in compliance with label requirements.
To sign up for WAND visit here hƩps://www.goannaag.com/wand-network
For Satacrop click here: hƩps://satacrop.com.au/
For advice from the Australian PesƟcides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) the body responsible for the spray drift regulatory approach, visit: hƩps://apvma.gov.au/node/10796
