Following a very wet spring and with harvest in many regions of NSW well underway, summer weed spraying is imminent. Stakeholders are reminded of the pilot program that has been established to provide NSW applicators with access to a modified version of the Spray Drift Management Tool (SDMT) so applicators can input site-specific information and calculate reduced buffer zones applicable to their local conditions and application preferences.
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority has issued a permit (PER91156) for the pilot for a limited range of products, primarily in cereal and fallow situations, which expires 31 July 2022. The permit will be held by Grain Producers Australia (GPA) who will be the point of contact for anyone interested in participating.
Stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the pilot program, which is intended to increase on-farm productivity and help improve spray drift management practices and spray drift policy in Australia.
The SDMT is available to NSW applicators via email request to GPA. More information, including a video presentation, is available on the GPA website.