grdc growers' report - Grains Research & Development Corporation

investment highlights
C A S E S T U D Y :
Working together to contain spray drift
In 2010 the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) reviewed the use
of certain agricultural herbicides and pesticides, and commenced a process to implement new
regulations for chemical spray application. The GRDC has been a leader in coordinating the
industry response to the review and the proposed regulations.
The APVMA review raised concerns that growers could face the imposition of large mandatory
spray buffer zones under specific circumstances. Under the proposed regulations, label
instructions for new and existing chemicals, including phenoxy herbicides such as 2,4-D and
MCPA, could require mandatory downwind no-spray (buffer) zones of up to 300 metres for spray
applied at ground level.
In response to such concerns, rural industry participants—including producer and industry
associations, government agencies, RDCs, chemical companies, and groups representing the
grains, horticulture, grape and wine, sugar, cotton and new crop sectors—formed the National
Working Party on Pesticide Applications, in March 2010. The working party was established to
coordinate industry-led research into improved technologies which reduce the risk of spray drift,
and demonstrate that current use of these technologies by growers exhibits good stewardship.
Attendees at the National Working Party on Pesticide
Applications meeting in April 2011. (From left) Rohan
Rainbow, GRDC Manager Crop Protection; Andrew Hewitt,
Centre for Pesticide Application and Safety, University of
Queensland; Greg Kauter, Cotton Australia; Brad Wells,
Horticulture Australia Limited. Photo: Greg Kauter
The GRDC is a major investor in the working party, and is represented on its executive committee,
which was endorsed by a meeting of more than 50 stakeholder representatives in April 2011.
The meeting also resolved that the working party would:
• provide a forum to help growers and other stakeholders to understand current APVMA policies
and work with regulators to achieve realistic and practical risk management
• facilitate the development of a national training framework for pesticide application which would
support the implementation of drift reduction technologies (to reduce mandatory buffer
distances); best management practice; and improved product efficacy.
The GRDC’s direct investments in spray drift research during 2010–11 included a project to obtain
data on newer spray nozzles which produce coarser droplets, reducing spray drift. Results from
this research have been provided to the APVMA. It is hoped that such evidence of the effects of
using current drift reduction technologies will lead to a reduction of mandatory buffer zones.
Ashley Ramm uses a self-propelled boom spray fitted with
low-drift nozzles. Photo: Evan Collis
Managing Climate Variability
The Managing Climate Variability program
aims to help farmers to manage risk and
make business decisions using reliable
climate forecasts, tools to translate the
forecasts into applications, and the
necessary knowledge to use these
resources effectively.
In 2010–11, the program invested in
research to:
• assess and manage heat stress in cereals
• understand frost risk
• model the links between climate drivers
and regional climate
• improve weather forecast accuracy,
particularly for multiweek forecasting
• model the impact of temperature
extremes in Western Australia.
On-farm demonstrations
To help farmers adapt to and mitigate
climate change effects, the National
Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative is
demonstrating technology and knowledge
on farm, at 25 demonstration sites across
northern, southern and western Australia.
The initiative is engaging with farmer
groups and researchers to demonstrate
established techniques and new research
outcomes. The on-ground demonstrations
give farmers and advisers direct access to
locally relevant information which will help
them to maintain or enhance the viability of
their farms.
Climate Kelpie
The Climate Kelpie website is a ‘one-stop
shop’ for climate risk management
information and tools. It provides links to the
best available tools and information about
climate, helping farmers and advisers to
make farm business decisions.
The website’s content is sourced from the
Bureau of Meteorology and the Managing
Climate Variability program.
Climate Champions
Through the Managing Climate Variability
program, 21 grain growers have been
selected as Climate Champions. These
growers are keen to understand how
increased climate variability will play out in
their regions, and how they can adapt to the
changes while continuing to run a sustainable
and financially viable farm business. The
Climate Champions program gives them the
opportunity to assess new tools, information
and management practices coming out of
climate-related research, and to influence
the research while it is still underway.
As Climate Champions, they share their new
knowledge and their on-farm experiences
with their peers, and provide feedback
about the concerns and needs of grain
growers to the GRDC.
Extension
Precision agriculture education and training
In 2010–11 the University of Sydney
developed eight precision agriculture
education and training modules for the
GRDC. The developers considered the
great variety of PA knowledge levels and
information requirements within the diverse
grains industry, and designed the modules
to be interacted with at multiple levels to
suit the skills and needs of different target
audiences.
GRDC GROWERS’ REPORT 2010–2011 17